The Voice Newspaper: January 2026

JANUARU 2026 • ISSUE NO. 1974

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WINDRUSH

MILLIONS

UNCLAIMED Melanie Clarke (left) with her sister Gillian and late father Hugo who bought Premium Bonds for her as a child

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MP anger over Lammy jury plans JUSTICE SECRETARY David Lammy faces an MP rebellion over plans to scrap jury trials, as critics warn the move will deepen racial injustice and destroy trust in a justice system already stacked against Black communities.

Veteran MP Diane Abbott is among a group of leading Labour backbenchers who have written to prime minster Sir Keir Starmer urging him to scrap the proposals.

Families urged to check old paperwork as over £100 million remains in unpaid Premium Bonds prizes

(Photo credit: Melanie Clarke)

WINDRUSH GENERATION descendants are being advised to search old documents for misplaced Premium Bonds. Once a popular way that Black families saved for

their children in the 1960s and 70s, campaigners say many are unaware their bonds could now be worth huge sums of money.

Fancy a change in your career?

Discover what’s possible at

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David Lammy’s proposed jury trial reforms have prompted a backlash

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Inside THIS MONTH

The Voice says

ROUNDUP NEWSPAPER

News, views, stories & videos

THE 10 MOST POPULAR STORIES ON VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK

6

‘I just want to be near my daughters’: mother with complex mental health needs speaks out after council move

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NOT THE SOLUTION: David Lammy’s proposal would deepen racial injustice in Britain’s broken court system

Rev Clive Foster: ‘I saw the Windrush Scandal unfold in my church and I couldn’t look away’

11

Breaking barriers: meet Sabah Zita Benson, Ghana’s first female High Commissioner to the UK

25

Sound system therapy: how bass, movement and community become medicine

30

The remarkable story of Hezekiah Moscow back for round two in ‘A Thousand Blows’

39

How a new AI tool is protecting athletes from online abuse

Scrapping jury trials would deepen racial injustice not fix Britain’s broken courts

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LANS reportedly being driven by Justice Secretary David Lammy to drastically reduce the use of jury trials across England and Wales should alarm every person who cares about fairness, accountability and trust in the justice system.

Presented as a solution to chronic court backlogs, the proposals would reserve jury trials for only the most serious offences, while expanding judge-only hearings for many other cases.

But this reform risks dismantling one of the few remaining safeguards that Black communities still trust and replacing it with a system that history shows works against us.

Veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott has rightly warned that removing jury trials would abolish a fundamental right and worsen racial disparities already baked into the system.

Ministry of Justice research itself acknowledges that juries, drawn from a cross-section of society, provide a modest counterweight to institutional bias. Remove them, and that bias is left unchecked.

Judges, however conscientious, are part of the establishment. They work daily with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service, institutions that multiple reviews, including the recent Casey review, have found to be affected by racism and homophobia.

This issue is 40 pages EDITOR Vic Motune E. vic.motune@thevoicemedia group.co.uk

CORPORATE AFFAIRS & COMMUNICATIONS Paula Dyke E. paula@thevoicemedia group.co.uk

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Paulette Simpson E. paulette.simpson@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Joel Campbell E. joel.campbell@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk

At a time when confidence in policing is already dangerously low, concentrating even more power in the hands of an unrepresentative judiciary is completely unjustified.

The statistics are stark. Racialised defendants tried before juries are convicted at similar rates to their White counterparts. In contrast, significant disparities exist in magistrates’ courts. Black women, for example, are 22 per cent more likely to be convicted than White women.

Research from the 2017 Lammy Review warned that denying defendants the right to elect a jury trial would likely lead to higher conviction rates for Black and minority ethnic Britons.

Nor would these proposals solve the backlog crisis. Court delays are the product of years of underfunding, reduced sitting days, staff shortages and crumbling infrastructure.

Shifting cases away from juries simply moves pressure elsewhere particularly to magistrates’ courts, which are already overstretched.

Juries may not be perfect, but their flaws stem from evidence and direction, not public judgment.

They better reflect defendants than an overwhelmingly White judiciary does.

If reducing racial inequality is the goal, which it should be, jury trials must be expanded, not cut, to protect fairness and public trust.

A JAMAICAN LEGEND: Jimmy Cliff’s funeral was held last month

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Racism in the NHS is costing billions — and Black lives

Official funeral for Jimmy Cliff to be held next week Too Black to be Indian and too Indian to be Black

‘He’d rather die than be in there’: Shocking family testimonies spur call for isolation room ban Guyana launches major push to supply fresh produce to Caribbean markets

Xavi Simons brings festive cheer to local neighbourhood Rapper Ghetts pleads guilty to causing death by dangerous driving

Kyle Murray and the community ‘Move4Jamaica’ Black women sound the alarm as fake hair products flood online marketplaces Black Greggs supervisor nicknamed ‘ganja man’ wins discrimination case

Got a story? email us at yourviews@thevoicemediagroup.co.uk SPORTS EDITOR Rodney Hinds E. rodney.hinds@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk ADVERTISING AND SALES E. advertising@thevoicemedia group.co.uk

NEWS DESK E. newsdesk@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk

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JANUARY 2026 THE VOICE | 3

News

GREATEST DAY: KNIGHT’S LOTTERY FUND SURPRISE Soul star Beverley Knight delights her hometown by delivering huge £244k grant to Windrush project

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OUL SINGER Beverley Knight delivered a £244,452 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to a Windrush heritage project in Wolverhampton, surprising a packed audience at Wolverhampton Arts Centre during a recent event.

Knight, a National Lottery Ambassador and daughter of the Windrush Generation, appeared unannounced at the Together For Music community celebration to reveal the award to Diversity Music Community 1st, a grassroots group preserving the oral histories of Caribbean-born DJs, musicians and community leaders who helped shape the city’s cultural identity from the 1950s to the 1980s.

The funding will support Windrush: The Music, The Sound, The Legacy, a project documenting the contribution of Caribbean migrants to Wolverhampton’s music and cultural landscape.

The initiative forms part of The National Lottery’s Because of You campaign, fronted by Claudia Winkleman, which highlights people and projects whose work has been made possible by National Lottery players.

Knight’s appearance drew emotional reactions from attendees and performers who had gathered for an evening of live music, DJ sets and intergenerational storytelling.

The singer told the audience:

“As someone whose family is part of the Windrush Generation and a lifelong lover of music, it’s inspiring to see National Lottery funding supporting organisations like Diversity Community Music 1st.

“This work is so close to my roots and heart, celebrating and preserving Caribbean culture and music. This success is all thanks to National Lottery players – because of you, this wouldn’t be possible!”

Diversity Music Community 1st was founded to honour the histories of Caribbean community pioneers whose influence continues to resonate across British music.

The group has been gathering testimonies, memories and recordings that risk being lost as members of the Windrush Generation grow older. Organisers say the new funding is vital to safeguarding stories that have shaped Wolverhampton for more than half a century.

Chair director Wayne Blake said the project reflects both heritage and forward momentum within the Black community.

“There’s a rich and vibrant

WITH OPEN ARMS: Beverley Knight with Wayne Blake of the Diversity Music Community 1st at Wolverhampton Arts Centre; left, the chart-topping star surprised members of the Diversity Music Community 1st during the recent event (photos: Getty Images)

heritage in our community, and this National Lottery funding helps us honour it: from the Windrush Generation who laid the foundations to the future generations shaping what comes next,” he said.

“Having Beverley Knight surprise us with the announcement made it even more special. She’s a

Wolverhampton local, a hometown hero, and a proud daughter of the Windrush generation.

“Her presence reminded us just how powerful our roots are, and how far they can reach.

“For us, it all starts with music, but what truly grows is connection, the relationships, the sense of belonging, and the community we build together.

“Thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we can

continue to make our impact greater than ever and continue to celebrate our legacy.”

Eilish McGuinness, chief executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said the award recognises the need to preserve stories that have shaped communities nationwide.

“This grant award is more than funding, it is an investment in people, in stories that deserve to be heard, and in the connections that hold communities together,”

she said. “It will help preserve voices and traditions that risk being lost to time and honours unsung heroes like Wayne Blake and the Windrush Generation whose contributions have shaped our nation.”

National Lottery players raise more than £30 million each week for good causes across the UK. Since 1994, the Lottery has funded more than 650,000 projects, including over 53,000 heritage initiatives nationwide.

Awesome Equiano: Abolitionist is the star of new children’s book A NEW children’s book telling the life story of 18th-century abolitionist Olaudah Equiano has been published, four years after a Black History Month presentation in Southwark libraries first inspired its creation.

The Awesome Equiano, written by journalist Hugh Closs and illustrated by award-winning British Nigerian artist Tayo Fatunla, presents the true story of the African boy who was kidnapped into slavery from the Igbo village of Essaka in southern Nigeria before becoming one of Britain’s most influential Black abolitionists.

The book is aimed at readers aged eight to 12, though its creators say it will appeal to all ages. The

project began when Closs delivered a talk during Black History Month, which later developed into a full adaptation of Equiano’s remarkable autobiography.

The book charts Equiano’s early life, enslavement and years at sea, during which he became an accomplished sailor and travelled across America, Europe, the West Indies and the Arctic.

After purchasing his freedom, he became a prominent London citizen and a leading campaigner against slavery. His memoirs, first published in 1789, were supported by the then Prince of Wales and remain one of the most important first-person accounts of enslavement. Closs, a for-

ADVERSITY: Young readers to the extraordinary Olaudah Equiano mer BBC staffer and long-time journalist who volunteers at Peckham Library, adapted the narrative for younger readers. The story has been

brought to life by Fatunla, whose illustrations have previously appeared in the BBC, the British Museum and The Guardian, as well as The Voice, where his Our Roots series on Black history became widely known.

Fatunla said the book’s publication marks the end of a long creative journey.

“Hugh and I are thrilled that our book is finally published after working on it for several years,” he told The Voice. “The process has been a rollercoaster, and I’m pleased that my illustrations might encourage children to learn about the life of a slave abolitionist.”

According to the noted illustrator the story’s power lies in its historical,

accuracy and relevance to young readers today.

“Each aspect of the narrative is factual, highlighting the resilience and perseverance of a young boy in facing adversity. It is intended to motivate young readers by exemplifying courage and determination.”

Fatunla added that illustrating Equiano’s journey has had a personal impact.

“I created these Equiano story illustrations to encourage young people to share their own stories through art. The story intrigued me and inspired me to depict it visually.” l The Awesome Equiano – A True Story is published by Colne House Publishing

4 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

News Feature

LAMMY’S PLANS TO AXE JURY TRIALS SLAMMED

REFORMS: A UK Crown Court, where jury trials have long been seen as a cornerstone of the British justice system; inset, Justice Secretary David Lammy, whose proposed reforms would significantly reduce the number of cases heard by juries in England and Wales (photos

Lawyers, MPs and legal experts say move will have major impact on Black communities. By Richard Sudan

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OVERNMENT PLANS spearheaded by Justice Secretary David Lammy to drastically reduce the use of jury trials across England and Wales have triggered a fierce backlash from Black lawyers, MPs and legal experts, who warn the proposals risk deepening racial injustice, undermining public confidence in the courts and deterring a new generation of Black barristers from the profession.

The proposed reforms, aimed jury of your peers is sacrosanct. I at tackling severe court backlogs, personally believe in a functioning would reserve jury trials largely for democratic society,” he added, “and the most serious offences such as murder and rape, while expanding justice must be part of that. Jury trials play a pivotal role.” judge only trials for many other Robinson’s concerns are echoed indictable and either way offences carrying potential prison sentences by a growing chorus of senior legal figures and politicians, who argue of more than three years. that juries, drawn from across Ministers argue the measures society, offer a vital counterbalance could speed up justice, but critics to institutional bias within the say they threaten a fundamental criminal justice system. democratic safeguard, particularly for Black defendants who already Abbott: Move abolishes experience disproportionate harm a fundamental right within the criminal justice system.

Veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott But Lammy and prime minister said the proposals would remove a Sir Keir Starmer now face an MP refundamental right while worsening bellion over the plans. Karl Turner, racial disparities already baked into the MP for Hull East, has written to the system. the Prime Minister urging him to “This reality is even acknowldrop the plans along with 38 other edged by the Ministry of Justice’s Labour backbenchers. own research,” she said. “Juries, who Criminal defence barrister Mark are drawn from a crosssection of Robinson said the plans would society, provide a small counter“disenfranchise” Black communities weight to that bias. and remove one of the few areas of “Removing the the justice system that still comright to a jury mands public trust. trial abolishes a “It is a concern, for me,” fundamental right Robinson told The Voice. “I’m all for everyone. And the for reform, but it has to impact will fall disbe sensible reforms. proportionately Judge-only trials on those who are not going to already sufhelp the situafer severe tion. discrimi“And it will nation.” have a disproAbportionately bott negative efadded: fect on Black “Black defendants. people To exclude CRITIC: Barrister and the public Mark Robinson Muslim is disenfranis against the communichisement. The proposals ties face right to face a

Getty Images)

huge discrimination in the system at every level from stop and search, to arrest, all the way through to conviction, sentencing and parole.”

Leading lawyer Jacqui McKenzie described the proposals as both dangerous and ineffective, particularly for Black communities already distrustful of the system.

“I was really surprised when I heard that David Lammy, in his role as Secretary of State for Justice, was proposing to limit access to jury trials in some criminal cases to reduce the backlog,” she said in an interview with The Voice.

“Judges are part of the establishment and are more likely to believe other parts of the establishment such as the police or the CPS. Juries provide an unbiased public judgement deemed fairer than just having the judgment of legal officials.”

McKenzie added that the idea that jury trials are the primary cause of delays is deeply flawed.

“The criminal justice system has been crumbling since I practised as a criminal solicitor over 15 years ago. Though there is still a knock-on effect from the pandemic, underfunding and systemic issues are the main root cause of the delays.”

She warned that shifting cases away from juries would simply move pressure elsewhere.

“The details of how the new system will work are unclear but jury cases will need to go somewhere. If these are going to go to the magistrates’ court, there is significant pressure there already with their own backlogs and insufficient personnel and resources, including a shortage of sitting days and viable courtrooms. Many court buildings have been sold off.”

She also questioned government claims that the reforms could reduce delays by 20 per cent. “The claim that judge-only trials will clear the backlog by 20 per cent is deemed to be dubious by some experts, who advise there is no evidence base for this claim. Without significant investment to address the structural issues, which does not appear to be part of the plan so far, not much is likely to change.”

trials could drive experienced out of the profession and “The impact advocates further weaken diversity within the will fall judiciary.

“We fear that criminal barristers disproportionately may leave the profession if these are brought into effect,” on those proposals she said. “The strength of feeling who already about the public’s right to trial by is strong, as are concerns about suffer severe jury the lack of diversity in the judiciary discrimination who would hear these cases and deverdicts. The lack of judges and such as Black liver A lived example of why magistrates from Black, minority juries matter people and ethnic and socially disadvantaged For Robinson, the issue is not groups leads to real concerns over Muslim the fairness of the proceedings.” abstract. His own journey into the legal profession began when he was echoed the view communities” thatKarmy-Jones wrongly accused of a crime and held by a number of practitionchose to represent himself in court. ers who have campaigned to make Insisting on a jury trial, Robinson the criminal justice system more diRobinson urged Lammy to successfully defended himself, reconsider saying that the propos- verse that jury trials are often what impressing both lawyers and the als sit uneasily with the findings of inspire young people from Black judge to such an extent that he was the 2017 Lammy Review which he and working class backgrounds to encouraged to pursue a career at pursue careers in criminal law. describes as “first-class”. the Bar – a path he later followed.

The proposals were not McKenzie added: “The 2017 LamThat experience cemented his mentioned in Labour’s election my Review found significant race belief that jury trials represent “the bias and discrimination against manifesto and are expected to face last bastion of freedom” within the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic resistance in both the Commons justice system. and the Lords. individuals in the UK criminal “Institutions can fail,” Robinson justice system.

A Ministry of Justice spokespersaid, “but juries can still produce son said: “The shocking reality in “Over half of people surveyed justice.” modern Britain is that Black Brits expressed mistrust in the system, Robinson, like McKenzie, also are 13 per cent more likely to be and I doubt those perceptions rejects the argument that juries are have changed favourably since this victims of crime, in a justice system responsible for the current backlog, review was conducted. All of society that is in crisis. This government is which stands at around 78,000 should be concerned by the erosion determined to give victims from all outstanding cases. of the jury system, but Black people backgrounds the swift justice they “Trial backlogs should not be deserve. should be doubly so.” used to justify reforms that fun“That is why we’re bringing fordamentally damage the character Wider consequences for ward reforms that will put victims and spirit of British justice,” he said. the profession first, by creating a fairer system that “The crisis we’re seeing is the result Concerns extend beyond defendcuts the court backlog and invests of political choices – underfunding, ants to the future of the criminal in more court sitting days than ever court closures and imposed caps before. Alongside this, we’re leaving Bar itself. Riel Karmy-Jones KC, that force courtrooms to sit empty chair of the Criminal Bar Associano stone unturned to tackle racial – not the existence of juries.” tion, warned that curtailing jury disparities and inequality.”

DECEMBER 2025

THE VOICE | 9

6 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

News Feature

‘I FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN ABANDONED WITH NO SUPPORT’

TOUGH: Tanisha Ford pictured with her daughters and baby son during happier times; she now faces long distances and rising costs to see her older children

Vulnerable mum Tanisha Ford makes plea to council after being relocated 90 miles away from her family in London. By Sinai Fleary

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VULNERABLE Black British mother with complex mental health conditions who has been rehoused over 90 miles away from her family in London has issued a plea to the local authority who moved her to reverse the decision.

Tanisha Ford was told by Enfield Council she would be relocated from north London to Leicester in the East Midlands.

Ford has experienced traumatic abuse throughout her life leading to her being diagnosed in 2022 with nine severe mental health conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder, autism and complex post-traumatic stress disorder.

As a result, she says it is critical to be able to live near her family who can provide her with the support she needs.

Despite this, in September, the

STRUGGLE: Tanisha says she feels “abandoned” after being moved 90 miles from her support network in London

mother-of-three was moved from her temporary one-bedroom flat in Enfield, after she was subjected to prolonged and vile abuse from her neighbour.

Currently, her two eldest daughters are in care in the north London area, but while Ford was living in London, she saw them every week and sometimes they would stay with her for weeks at a time.

DECISION However, now she says her family has been “further torn apart” adding that it can cost £80 each for her older teenage daughters, aged 17 and 19, to visit her and their 22-month-old brother.

Speaking to The Voice, she explained that before Enfield Council’s decision to move her, she had regular access to her daughters, who were living in care homes just 10 to 15 minutes away.

“It’s been really disheartening, and I feel like I have been abandoned down here.”

While living in Enfield, Ford lived just a few minutes from her local GP, who knew of her medical history and was supporting her recovery.

Ford was also due to begin women’s counselling to help heal from severe trauma following GP referrals. However, since being moved out of London, she says such support is no longer available, and she is struggling.

“I’ve had a few anxiety attacks down here and there was nowhere for me to go except to call 111 and call my mum,” she said.

“Regardless of what we have been through, we have always made sure we are in each other’s lives and my daughters know I love them dearly.”

It’s not just the distance away from her family which is an issue, Ford adds that her new home has poor transport links with little access to shops and amenities. The nearest supermarket is approximately 20 minutes away by car.

“I have not seen one bus since I’ve moved here,” she said. “Everybody drives and I’m the only Black person in this village. I feel like a fish out of water.”

Ford’s problems began in 2017.

She was working full-time in a shop and had been promoted.

But in 2022, she had a severe mental breakdown which led to her daughters temporarily being taken into care. In the same year, she was made homeless and was moved into temporary accommodation, a one-bedroom flat in Enfield. She fell pregnant and had her son the following year.

At the flat, she was continuously abused by her neighbour

who was making “death threats” to her family.

“My son wasn’t allowed to play in the house, because my neighbour would swear, curse and bang and make obscene noises in the nighttime when he was trying to sleep,” she explained.

She reported the abuse to the police and the council and they found her accommodation first in Newcastle, which she refused because of the distance.

Following this she was offered the second property in Leicester and says she felt pressured into accepting the accommodation.

“I just took it because I felt like I was really losing myself in the flat.

I wouldn’t leave the house, and it’s unfair on my son because he’s just a baby,” she said.

She said: “When I was made the offer of the accommodation to Leicester, they wanted me to move out in the next 48 hours.

“It was not possible because they already knew my mental health state, they know I’m by myself and I have a whole house to pack and I’m leaving my children behind which is already distressing. They weren’t giving me time to pack and it was like they just wanted me out!”

CASE Email correspondence sent to Ford, from Enfield Council’s Housing Advisory Service, seen by The Voice, states that if she refused the offer, she would not be offered anywhere else to live and would subsequently be made homeless.

Now, Ford wants the council to urgently reconsider her case, so she is somewhere more accessible for her daughters and family.

“I need to be around people that can help me heal and just not be so alone, I’ve felt so alone for so

“I need to be around people that can help me heal.

I don’t want to be disregarded and treated like I’m not a person”

sent her down there with no connections. They are telling her to ring 111 in case of emergency and that’s not good enough. Before the move, her GP was just down the road and had a full history of her mental health and recommendations and her therapist was also near. It’s just terrible.”

Blackman says her daughter should have been rehoused in London with her children, who have been in care since 2022, but “that never happened”.

long. I don’t want to be disregarded and abandoned and treated like I’m not a person.”

While in London, the proud mother also had a support network from her local church, proving her with spiritual upliftment and a sense of community.

Her sister also lived in Palmers Green and a friendly neighbour would regularly check in on her.

The council letter dated September 23, 2025 states that Ford’s Leicester property is suitable, adequately sized and meets any medical needs. While the council acknowledged that moving away from established social links and family could be disruptive, particularly for households with young children, it concludes that support from family, friends or the local community was not essential to the welfare of Ford’s household.

Sharon Blackman, Ford’s mother and advocate, also echoed her daughter’s concerns about the council’s decision.

“I was concerned for a lot of reasons,” she told The Voice. “I won’t be able to see my daughter, I can’t just turn up to check on her or surprise her. This is not good for her mental health, I do not know who made the decision and

FAITH She recalls how her daughter saw them almost daily, even using a blow-up bed so they could stay close. Now, with her daughter and grandson far away, she is “heartbroken” adding that the family are “keeping the faith” she’ll be moved back to London.

An Enfield Council spokesperson told The Voice: “Enfield, like many other areas, is facing a severe housing crisis that has built up over many years. Demand for safe housing now far outweighs the homes available locally.

“The housing crisis means we sometimes must make hard decisions, including offering accommodation outside the borough when no suitable homes are available in Enfield.

“In this case, the property offered to Ms Ford is in an area with facilities that do not require a car to access. She was also given details of a nearby GP surgery so she could register locally.

“We understand Ms Ford has requested a review of the suitability of the accommodation. That review has begun and she will receive the outcome in writing once it has been completed. We appreciate how important this is to her and her family.”

JANUARY 2026

Special Feature

ADVERTORIAL

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hoosing a degree apprenticeship at BAE Systems has given me the chance to earn a degree, gain valuable industry experience and work on projects that are shaping the future of aerospace and defence.

I always wanted to have a rewarding career, but was never sure what I wanted to do. I went to college twice. I worked as a kitchen assistant in my local hospital for a few years, before forging an administration and management career. I made a couple of internal moves but by the time I turned 30, I felt really unhappy in my job. I made one final move and became a paediatric medical secretaries’ manager but remained unfulfilled. I needed more of a challenge.

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THE VOICE | 7

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Balancing my work, education and family life can be difficult

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Highlight your key skills It’s important to highlight your skills alongside any qualifications you have. Recruiters look at the ‘Personal Achievements’ section just as closely as they look at Have confidence qualifications. in yourself You can discuss how you manGoing through an application aged your time by completing a process can be daunting and it’s big coursework project or taught only natural to question yourself, yourself a new skill outside of especially if you’re applying for school. Provide specific, detailed your first role. examples and answer openThere’s no such thing as a ended questions: what you did, conventional route into an engiwhy you did it and how you neering or technology career and achieved it. the industry thrives on hiring people with different skills and viewpoints – focus on what will HOW TO APPLY make you a great hire. RememApplications for the Company’s ber, no one is expecting you to 2026 apprenticeship intake are be perfect or have vast experience – companies are focused on now open. This window will close when a sufficient number your potential at entry level. of applications has been received, no later than the end of Do your research February 2026. There are multiWhile you don’t need to memople graduate intakes throughrise the entire history of the out the year, including January, company you’re applying to, you April, July and September. do need to do some research.

Make sure you have a good • Find out more and apply: understanding of what the comcareers.baesystems.com/ pany does, the industry it sits in apprentices and what the role you’re applying Early careers opportunities are for involves. Depending on how just one part of the Company’s far in advance you’re searching, wider recruitment drive. BAE try to secure any relevant work Systems is currently recruiting experience you can in your thousands of skilled workers chosen field.

Social media channels are just from steelworkers to data scientists across the UK. as useful for getting to know a company and its people as the • Find out more and apply: official website pages. Also, take careers.baesystems.com/ note of any existing employee areas-of-work case studies and experiences, like Kim’s, as they will give you a flavour of what to expect. the best advice and tips from our recruitment team to make your application stand out from the crowd.

8 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

News Feature

SITTING ON A FORTUNE?

B

RITAIN’S BLACK communities, particularly families from the Windrush generation, are being urged to search through old paperwork and family records amid warnings that they could be entitled to a share of more than £100 million in unclaimed Premium Bonds prizes.

The vast sum relates to winning Premium Bonds that have never been claimed, often because the original holders have died, families have moved, or paper records have been lost over decades.

Many of the bonds were bought by parents and grandparents for children, a popular and trusted way for Windrush families to save at a time when access to mainstream financial services was limited.

Premium Bonds are a government-backed savings product run

by National Savings and Investments (NS&I). Instead of paying interest, each £1 saved is entered into a monthly prize draw, with tax-free prizes ranging from £25 to £1m.

Bonds can be bought for children under 16, which made them particularly attractive to families looking to put something aside for the next generation.

Following enquiries from The Voice, NS&I confirmed there are currently more than 2.6 million unclaimed Premium Bonds prizes, worth a combined £111.4m. The largest single unclaimed prize stands at £100,000. NS&I says prizes never expire and can be claimed no matter how long ago the bonds were bought.

But within the Black British community, concerns are growing that some families are being wrongly told bonds cannot be traced, even when paperwork exists. For those affected, what should be a straightforward process has become a long and distressing battle.

One such case is that of Dorrett Mitchell from Walthamstow, east London. Her late father, Philip Alexander Mitchell, bought Premium

Windrush families are being urged to trace unclaimed Premium Bonds. By Sinai Fleary

FAMILY INVESTMENT: Dorrett Mitchell (right) with her parents, Philip Alexander Mitchell and Esther Rosanna Mitchell, who were a hardworking couple from Jamaica

BUILDING A LIFE: Hugo Lloyd Clarke as a young man and (right) on his wedding day to Margaret. They worked hard to provide for their family after coming to the UK from Trinidad (photo: Melanie Clarke)

Bonds for his children in the 1970s and carefully recorded their names on the back of the paper slips.

Decades later, Mitchell still had the original documents and the bond numbers. In early 2024, she contacted NS&I to have the bonds formally transferred into her name so they could sit alongside the bonds she had bought herself as an adult. To her shock, she was told the bonds could not be traced.

“I had the paperwork and I even gave them the number,” she told The Voice. “I wasn’t sure if it was still in my dad’s name or my mum’s name, but I gave them everything I had.”

Despite repeated attempts, including using NS&I’s online tracing service, submitting witness signatures and even having her identity verified by her church priest, Mitchell was repeatedly told there was no record of the bonds.

After months of phone calls and complaints, and with the help of

ALL TOGETHER: Melanie Clarke (far left) her father, Hugo Lloyd Clarke, her mother Margaret and her two nieces and sister Gillian (photo: Melanie Clarke)

her niece, wills and probate solicitor Patrice Lawrence, the issue was finally resolved.

In August 2025, NS&I confirmed the bonds had been added to her online account, admitting an administrative error had caused the delay. Mitchell received £150 in compensation.

“They apologised for not getting it right,” she said. “But I had to keep chasing them. If you know you haven’t cashed it in, it must be there somewhere.”

SCANDAL Mitchell believes many others may be in a similar position. “A lot of people used to buy bonds in those times for their children. It’s a real issue – a scandal really,” she said, urging families not to give up if they believe bonds exist.

Premium Bonds were first introduced in 1957, with the first draw conducted by ERNIE – the Electronic Random Number

Indicator Equipment. Since then, more than 803 million prizes worth £39bn have been paid out. Bondholders can invest between £25 and £50,000, with each £1 giving a unique number and one chance in the monthly draw.

NS&I insists that bonds are never lost and that all prizes, including the £1m jackpots, are eventually paid. However, tracing older bonds often relies on incomplete paper records, which can complicate matters for families decades later. CALLING FOR CHANGE: Another Windrush generation Solicitor Patrice Lawrence descendant, Melanie Clarke, knows Her father, Hugo Lloyd Clarke, this challenge all too well. who was born in Trinidad and Her parents bought Premium came to Britain in 1944, also held Bonds for her when she was a Premium Bonds. baby, and she remembers seeing One of his bonds won a prize the paperwork as a child. But during a house move, the documents years after his death in 2018, but the family says they were unable to were misplaced. claim it due to a missed deadline.

“It took about four months for “I’m sure people in our commuthem to tell me they couldn’t find nity may have thrown them out not my Premium Bonds without the knowing what they were,” Clarke numbers,” she said.

After an extensive search, Clarke said. “They’re very easy to lose.” and her mother eventually found ASSETS the papers. One bond contained Wills and probate solicitor a clerical error, with her birth year Patrice Lawrence says she regularly recorded incorrectly. encounters similar cases.

Although Clarke submitted She helps families administer the correct details and requested estates and trace assets, including the bonds be added to an online Premium Bonds, and believes the account, she says she has heard system is failing many claimants. nothing since October 2024.

“One of my clients found a £5 Despite sending photocopies Premium Bond after his mother of the original booklets, she said: died with dementia,” she said.

“I don’t know how many bonds I “We wrote to NS&I with the death hold, or what the value is.” certificate and they told us it didn’t Clarke has also been trying belong to her and that was it.” to trace bonds belonging to her mother. She describes the docuAfter persistent chasing, NS&I ments as “flimsy bits of paper” that later confirmed the bond did are easily lost or discarded. belong to the client.

Lawrence questions why clearer guidance is not given from the outset, especially when bonds were bought for children and should automatically pass to them. Last year, she launched a petition calling for reforms so that basic details such as name, date of birth and address would be enough to trace accounts.

“It’s unacceptable for a government-backed financial institution,” she said.

Lawrence also shared her own family’s experience. Her grandfather bought £1 bonds for each of his eight children in the 1970s but never told them.

They only discovered the bonds decades later, in their 50s and 60s.

“They had no idea they had this asset,” she said.

An NS&I spokesperson said the organisation has paid out more than 99 per cent of all Premium Bonds prizes since 1957. In the 2024–25 financial year alone, it reunited £166m with more than 52,000 customers, including £120m in Premium Bonds prizes.

Financial expert Tynah Matembe, CEO of MoneyMatix, said Premium Bonds appealed to earlier generations because of their safety. “It’s a governmentbacked, tax-free investment,” she said. “Your money is safeguarded.”

However, she warned that Premium Bonds should form part of a wider financial plan. “The prize draw works like a lottery, not everyone will win,” she said, urging families who trace bonds to ensure they are properly recorded and integrated into their overall financial portfolio.

DECEMBER 2025

THE VOICE | 9

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10 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

News Feature

WHY I WON’T STOP THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE

Windrush Commissioner Reverend Clive Foster is in a hurry for justice for the families across the country who lost their homes, their jobs, and their health

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APPEAL: Reverend Clive Foster says he wants anyone who thinks they might be entitled to compensation to get in touch with him

‘Breaking Through Racist Clouds’ 37 Caribbean people talk about ‘how it was for them’ arriving and living in the UK and in the USA. They tell their truths.

• Paperback - £6.99 +PP from https://www.rembvoices.com

Windrush Women of Courage, Stories of Struggle, Resilience and Power’ 4 amazing elders share their life journeys from their island homes into new lives in the strange land of the UK Motherland.

• Paperback - £8.99 +PP from

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‘British Caribbean Veterans Serving Queen and Country’ This book recognises and celebrates the contribution made by brave Caribbean men and women to the British Armed Forces and therefore to the Monarch and to the country after the 1960s. They are British and are proud of the service they have provided to their country, the United Kingdom.

• Paperback - £10.99 +PP. Hardback - £19.99 from https://www.rembvoices.com

NE SUNDAY afternoon in April 2018, just after my service had ended, I told my congregation something I never thought I’d have to. I said if any of them were worried about proving their right to be in the UK, they should come and talk to me.

One by one, people stepped forward. “Clive, my grandfather doesn’t have his papers.”

“Clive, my uncle is terrified.” The queue kept growing.

In that moment I realised the scale of the injustice facing people who had lived, worked, raised families, paid taxes and contributed to British life for decades, yet were suddenly told they did not belong. That moment drove me to become Windrush Commissioner, a role to hold government to account and deliver justice.

Not because it would be easy.

Not because the problems would be quickly solved. But because when you sit across from someone whose life has been destroyed by bureaucratic cruelty, you can’t walk away. You have to do whatever you can to make it right.

Over the past six months, I’ve travelled to community halls and churches across this country, listening to the stories of the Windrush generation and their families. I’ve sat with over 700 people, and each conversation has left its mark on me.

I’ve met veterans who wore their medals to our meetings – men and women who served this country with distinction, who are still waiting for compensation that recognises what was taken from them.

I’ve heard from families torn apart by bureaucracy. People who lost their homes, their jobs, and their health. People who were detained, deported, denied treatment. People who died before they ever received justice.

And I’ve heard the fear. The

deep, exhausting fear that this could all happen again. That the next change in government, the next shift in political winds, could sweep away whatever fragile protections have been put in place.

That fear keeps people awake at night. It should keep all of us awake.

Let me tell you about Hannah Dankwa who is 81. Hannah travelled to Ghana for a family holiday last year but was prevented from returning to the UK due to a disputed birth date. She was stranded for four months, despite having lived in Britain since 19 and needing cancer treatment, with officials ruling her case not an emergency.

When I heard about Hannah’s case, I was angry. How did we get here? How did we create a system so devoid of compassion that an 81-year-old woman with cancer doesn’t qualify as an emergency?

FAILURE I intervened and within 24 hours the Home Office issued Hannah an emergency travel document. She is now home, thanks to her daughters and lawyer who also campaigned on her behalf. But intervention and publicity should not have been necessary. This failure reflects the Windrush scandal: a system that prioritises paperwork over people.

Some people have asked me: can you really hold the government to account when they appointed you? It’s a fair question.

Martin Luther King Jr once said: “The ultimate test of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.”

I took this role to challenge injustice, not for comfort or compliance. Independent of government, I will call out failure and refuse the unacceptable. My accountability is to Windrush

survivors, their families and communities still waiting for justice, not to ministers or anyone who thinks good intentions are enough without delivery.

In my first 100 days, I made urgent recommendations on Compensation Scheme failures, challenged harmful culture, and secured changes including advance payments, priority for vulnerable claimants and pension-loss compensation. But major problems remain: nearly 60 per cent of claims get nothing, future earnings aren’t covered.

Behind this statistic are people who cannot afford to wait any longer.

Justice means recognition and reconciliation: government admitting wrongdoing and ensuring it never happens again.

It requires a cultural shift in the Home Office so decisions centre compassion and humanity, and lasting safeguards that protect people beyond changing political priorities or governments.

Justice is about legacy: Windrush generations and affected communities should be celebrated, not defined by injustice, for their contributions as nurses, workers, teachers, and artists who sustained industries, educated children, and enriched Britain’s culture.

I’m in a hurry for justice, calling on the Home Office and communities to act. Over my remaining term, I will push trauma-informed compensation reform, advocacy and legal support, secure status for all entitled, including overseas.

If you know someone who might be entitled to compensation or status, help them apply.

Share their stories. Keep the pressure on. And hold me to account, too – because this work is too important to get wrong. l Reverend Clive Foster was appointed as the first Windrush Commissioner last year

JANUARY 2026 THE VOICE | 11

‘THERE’S A BURDEN ON ME AS A TRAILBLAZER’

News Feature DOING THE WORK: Sabah Zita Benson says she wants her efforts to open doors for other women; inset below, Benson during her days at the bar, long before stepping on to the international stage

Now Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland, Sabah Zita Benson’s rise into politics has been a long time coming

I

N THE BUSTLING Osu neighbourhood of Accra, the capital of Ghana, a young Sabah Zita Benson began a life that would eventually lead her into the heart of international diplomacy.

Benson is very much a trailblazer, breaking new ground in diplomatic leadership and helping to reshape expectations of what is possible for women in public service in Ghana.

Last year, in a landmark step, Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama named her as the country’s first woman to serve as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Her historic appointment, confirmed in May 2025 and formally commissioned in September marks far more than a symbolic achievement.

It signalled a substantial shift in Ghana’s diplomatic landscape, reflecting a growing commitment to gender representation and inclusive leadership on the global stage. The appointment held profound personal and national significance for her.

“I was very grateful,” she recalls.

“Grateful that I was given this opportunity to come and serve, represent the President, and serve the people of Ghana here.”

The news of her appointment electrified the public in Ghana. “It took the whole country by storm,” she says.

“Everybody was so happy. I was shocked at how people received my appoint-

IN ROYAL COMPANY: Sabah Zita Benson in conversation with King Charles during a diplomatic engagement

ment. I didn’t know people loved me that much.”

This outpouring of support became a powerful motivator for her.

“It is the reception of how my appointment was accepted that motivates me to do what I do. I realised that people really believe in me and they expect me to do something different. So, once I got here, I decided that I was not going to let those people down.”

to cultivate focus and a powerful sense of purpose over the course of her time there. It was also here that she discovered her voice, both as a student and as a public speaker.

Serving as a reader during school assemblies, she honed the clarity and confidence that would later define her career in law and politics. This foundation inspired her to pursue a career in law, a path she had committed to from a young age.

RESILIENCE “I knew I wanted to be a lawyer,” Benson’s early years were she recalls. “Even though it remarked by a move from the family quired me to complete a four-year home in Osu to her industrialist degree at the Kwame Nkrumah father’s house.

University of Science and TechnolThis childhood, shaped by the ogy in Kumasi, followed by returnsights and sounds of a thriving city, ing to the University of Ghana, instilled in her a unique perspecLegon, to finish my law course, I tive on Ghanaian industry and life. remained focused. I was eventually They also laid the foundation for called to the bar in 2006.” a leader known for her resilience Her determination helped her and connection to her roots. through her studies, even as she Benson spent her formative balanced her responsibilities as a years at Archbishop Porter Girls’ young mother. “My first child was School in Takoradi, located in two years old when I would bring Ghana’s Western Region. her along to discussions,” she reIt’s a school that is renowned calls. “She was always by my side… for its strict discipline. But she I knew what I wanted, and nothing credits the school in helping her was going to derail me.”

This unwavering focus is interwo- youngest-ever ambassador. Now of her diplomatic role with family ven with the core values that guide leading the Ghana High Commis- life is an ongoing effort. sion in London, Her Excellency has her: integrity, loyalty, and honesty.

“It’s not easy,” she admits, “but a clear mandate: to transform the I have a very supportive husband.

“I believe in doing good to people,” she states. “You have to be nice historic Ghana-UK relationship My children are also very supportto the people you meet on your way into a dynamic partnership for ive. They understand that I need to up because they are the same peo- mutual growth. do this.”

Her leadership is defined by ple you meet on your way down.” action. She has already moved MISSION to improve consular services to STRONGHOLD She credits her strong support encourage more tourists and inves- system, which includes her parents Her entry into politics in 2007 tors to visit and experience Ghana. and friends, with helping her manwas less of a calculated career She has also launched mobile move and more of a calling she age her many responsibilities as a could not ignore. Encouraged by a outreach programs for the diplomat, community leader, and Ghanaian diaspora. Her focus is friend and local party executives, mother. Benson says her mission she decided to run for Member of on tangible economic benefits, is to leave a legacy of progress and Parliament for the Dome-Kwaben- championing the UK-Ghana Trade kindness, one that inspires future Partnership Agreement and spearya constituency in Accra. generations.

Though she did not win the seat heading the creation of a ‘Ghana From Osu to London, High ComHouse’ in London to showcase the in a stronghold of the opposing missioner Sabah Zita Benson’s jourparty, her campaign dramatibest of Ghanaian innovation and ney is a testament to the power of cally reduced the voting gap and products. vision, hard work, and an unshakecontributed to her party’s success Being the first woman in this able commitment to service. in the general election. role carries a unique weight, a This impact did not go unnoresponsibility she fully embraces. ticed. Following the 2008 election, “There’s a huge burden on me she was appointed Minister of In- as a trailblazer,” she says. “I have formation at the age of 33, becom- always said that I’m going to work ing the youngest female minister in hard to ensure that I keep the door Ghana’s history. open for other women.

A number of other trailblazing “I don’t want to be referred to appointments followed including as that woman who came in and her being appointed as Minister for closed the doors for other women.”

Tourism and later as Ambassador As a wife to pharmacist Bobby to the Czech Republic at the age of Benson and a mother of three, 39, another record as the nation’s balancing the immense pressures

l Join High Commissioner Sabah Zita Benson behind the scenes at the Ghana High Commission in London as she outlines a bold, future-focused Ghana-UK vision. Scan the QR code to watch the full documentary.

12 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

Special Feature

ADVERTORIAL

Better health is in your genes How taking part in genetic research could improve Black health

The DNA found in your blood or saliva can explain a lot about you, including your risk of disease. But Black people are underrepresented in genetic research.

D

ifferences in your genetics can explain a lot: how tall you are, the colour of your eyes – even whether you prefer coffee or tea.

But they can also help to explain your risk of disease, as well as how you might respond to treatment.

Research builds the information that doctors use to diagnose and treat us all. The information used in that research – to understand how diseases work and how to diagnose and treat them – often comes from biobanks.

Biobanks are huge databases of genetic information from a large number of people.

Using anonymised samples, they can be used by researchers to learn more about the health problems that affect our lives.

RESEARCHERS Participants in biobanks usually donate a blood or saliva sample and complete a health and lifestyle questionnaire. Personal details are removed before DNA is extracted from the sample and any answers are shared with researchers.

And the numbers tell an important story.

The UK Biobank alone has over 500,000 participants, yet only 1.6% are Black people. This means that information driving big breakthroughs on disease isn’t coming from everyone. And if that information and the research that it feeds doesn’t reflect the UK population, then the treatment plans and outcomes that result won’t either.

What researchers can and can’t do with your genetic info

• Researchers CAN’T see any personal information about you – any identifying information will be removed, so they won’t know who you are or which DNA is yours. Your data and samples are stored separately.

To put it simply: because there has been under-recruitment of Black people in health research, much of what researchers know about health conditions is based on information from white populations.

This widens existing health inequalities and can cause problems with proper diagnosis and the development of drugs and treatment that benefit everyone. And if it takes longer to be diagnosed, there might be fewer treatment options available.

Here’s an example: You may carry a genetic variation called G6PD – a condition that is relatively common, affecting around 1 in 7 Black men. For people living with type 2 diabetes, this can create a serious blind spot for health professionals. This is because G6PD can cause your blood sugar levels to show as lower than they are in one of the common tests.

This matters because Black communities in the UK are already at higher risk: they are 2 to 4 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than white people. When testing doesn’t give the full picture, the potential for delayed diagnosis or inadequate treatment becomes a significant health equity issue.

HOW BIOBANKS ARE IMPROVING Everyone has a role to play in tackling this imbalance. One way to make this difference is by taking part in health and care research.

Services such as Be Part of Research make it easy to get involved – by matching you with a study that may be right for you.

There are also several groups working to address the gap. The Improving Black Health Outcomes (IBHO) BioResource is a research programme focused on improving knowledge and understanding of health conditions and

• Researchers CAN request access to your depersonalised genetic information for their work – but only if they explain how they’ll use it and what the benefit will be. Depersonalised data has been through a process to remove personal identifiers.

• Your information CAN’T be shared for any reason except research – it won’t be sold or shared with insurance companies or the government. There are robust systems to protect your information.

The NIHR IBHO BioResource is focused on understanding how health conditions, like heart disease and sickle cell, impact Black communities.

their unique impacts on Black communities in the UK. Vicky Hills is a Research Recruitment Manager at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) BioResource, which is leading on the IBHO programme. She says it’s important for people to take control of their participation in health research: “If you want to have a voice in research, you have to enter your voice into the conversation.”

UNDERREPRESENTATION The IBHO BioResource wants to boost research into conditions like mental health, cardiovascular disease, sickle cell, and many more. There are other organisations

working on this problem too. Another study, Black Health Legacy, is looking into a wide range of health issues including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease – all of which disproportionately impact Black communities.

The legacy of research is long, and builds over time. This means that it can take a long time to overcome historic underrepresentation. But it also means that our understanding of genetics is growing every day. Hills explains: “Your DNA is just a tiny part of research. But if everyone joins together, that’s real power that influences things that will benefit you.”

• Biobanks CAN send you an invitation to participate in a new study or a request for further samples – but you are always free to say no.

• You CAN change your mind – you can withdraw at any time, and you can request that your sample be destroyed.

SCAN ME ››

Help shape the future of Black health in the UK. Learn more about health and care research, find a trial you could be eligible for, or join a biobank at bepartofresearch.uk

JANUARY 2026 THE VOICE | 13

Dr Julie Hammond Health Matters

Join the debate online voice-online.co.uk/opinion

TRY MY CLEAN START CHALLENGE: 31 DAYS TO RESET YOUR HEALTH M ANY OF us start the new year feeling the effects of one too many celebratory meals or late nights out during the festive season.

It is the time of year that we declare ambitious resolutions. We promise ourselves we will join the gym, eat healthier, lose weight or transform our entire lifestyle in one go.

But for many people, these big plans are hard to sustain, and one slip-up can leave us feeling like we have failed before we even get started.

Add to this the reality that gym memberships can be costly, mobility issues or health conditions can make intense workouts difficult, and our busy schedules can make it feel impossible to find the extra time to squeeze in exercise. All of this can make starting your health journey feel even more challenging.

This year, I want to offer something kinder and far more achievable.

Instead of setting goals that depend on time and/or money, I want us to focus on something simple that we can all do from the comfort of our homes. This is why I am launching the Dr Julie Clean Start Challenge.

For the month of January, I invite you to join me in drinking at least two litres of water every day and cut out all sugary drinks and alcohol. No fizzy drinks, no juice, no cocktails or mixers. Just clean hydration for one month.

It sounds almost too simple, but sometimes the simplest interventions can create the biggest shift in mindset, leading to long-lasting lifestyle changes.

The aim is not to get you to lose weight (although this may be an unintentional benefit). The aim is to help you begin the year with intention rather than pressure.

Why water?

We often underestimate the power of keeping ourselves hydrated. Our bodies are made up of approximately two-thirds of water, and even when we are mildly dehydrated, this can affect how we think, feel and function. Several studies have found that drinking enough water can reduce snacking and improve energy levels, attention, memory, and overall cognitive performance.

FEEL MORE ENERGISED: The Clean Start Challenge begins with a glass of water — no sugary drinks, no alcohol, just daily hydration (photo:

Being healthier does not have to begin with drastic lifestyle changes – it can all start with just a glass of water Your kidneys also benefit.

Water helps them to filter waste effectively and reduces the likelihood of issues such as kidney stones. Your liver function also depends on adequate hydration to process toxins and support your metabolism.

Many people also report that when they cut out sugary drinks and alcohol, they feel more energised and more in tune with their body. Sugary drinks can cause sharp spikes in blood sugar, followed by crashes that affect mood and hunger. Alcohol disrupts sleep, dehydrates the body and can contribute to weight gain due to its high-calorie content. Removing both for a short period can feel surprisingly refreshing.

The purpose of this challenge is not to restrict but to restore.

Think of it as a way to give your body time to reset after a busy, perhaps indulgent, festive season. At the end of the month, you can decide which habits you enjoyed enough to keep.

For those who want an extra boost If you feel ready to add a little more movement to your routine, there are gentle ways to do this without signing up for anything intense.

The NHS recommends about 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week. Moderate activity simply means you are moving enough to feel slightly out of breath while still able to hold a conversation.

One of the easiest and most realistic goals is to aim for 5,000 to 8,000 steps five times a week, if you are able. This can be built into your existing routine. You might get off the bus one stop earlier on your commute, walk to pick up your children from school or the nursery, or take the stairs instead of the lift.

Small adjustments can add up over time and help you feel stronger and more energised. Movement is not about punishment but about supporting both your physical and mental wellbeing.

Why does this challenge matter?

January is often when people feel pressure to reinvent themselves.

But diet, culture and social media trends can leave you feeling defeated before you have even begun. I want this challenge to feel hopeful rather than overwhelming. Drinking more water and swapping out sugary drinks may sound like a small change, but it can spark a sense of control over your health.

Most importantly, this is a challenge that is accessible. It is suitable for people who are busy, those with mobility limitations, and those who want to begin their health journey without feeling judged or rushed.

It is also a challenge you can measure. Each day you choose water over a fizzy drink, you are choosing yourself.

Getty Images)

Join me If you take part, tag me using #DrJulieCleanStart so we can encourage one another throughout the month. I will be sharing tips and reminders to help you stay motivated.

Let 2026 be the start of a journey where you look after your health through simple, manageable habits. Two litres of water a day for 31 days. No sugary drinks. No alcohol. And maybe, a little more movement where possible. A healthier year does not have to begin with a drastic change. Sometimes it begins with a glass of water.

Important notice If you have a medical condition that affects how much fluid you should drink, please speak with your GP before starting this challenge. Your own clinical needs may mean you require a different approach to hydration, which your GP can advise you on. l Dr Julie Hammond is a multi award-winning GP, health advocate and innovator. She is the founder of the mamAR app: www.mamarhealth.com and is also writing a book on The Fourth Trimester due to be released this year

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14 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

Dotun Adebayo

Rate him or hate him - you can’t ignore him!

WHAT IS THERE TO BE HAPPY ABOUT THIS NEW YEAR? It’s the same every January – but the state of affairs this time round seems truly bleak.

That said, there are a few glimmers of hope to keep us going in 2026 and beyond...

H

APPY NEW YEAR....

HAPPY NEW YEAR. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Yes, but what does it mean? No matter how many times you say it, I’m not convinced.

How can this new year be a happy one when we’re paying more for it and getting less? And the Chancellor of the Exchequer is not the only one who is having a laugh wishing us a happy new year.

Energy companies are wishing us a ‘happy new year’, too, and they’re singing ‘tra-la-la-la-la-lala-la-lee’ all the way to the bank because we’ll be paying more for our gas and electric from New Year’s Day. HAPPY NEW YEAR! You will also have seen that your local supermarket is also wishing you a happy new year.

Even though the Bank of England says food price inflation is supposed to fall by 2-3% this year our grocery superstores are warning that prices will have to go up! HAPPY NEW YEAR! Everybody else is joining in the great British rip-off, too – trains, planes and automobiles, and the new technology companies that have got us between the short and curly-wurlies and are squeezing

every drop of our blood, sweat and tears. Check your inbox – it’s a HAPPY NEW YEAR from them also.

And I haven’t even mentioned the World Cup. Win, lose or draw, we (Black Brits) are going to get it in the neck this year. If England win, we will hear over and over and over again that Britons ‘never, never NEVER’ shall be slaves and we will, of course, be expected to join in. And if England lose they’ll blame it on Bellingham.

Having said all that, there’s one good reason to be cheerful this new year – the Nubian Jak board game is back for a very special 30th anniversary edition. HAPPY NEW YEAR! You see, there was very little to be cheerful about 30 years ago either. We were just coming out of a recession, you could buy a whole house in the capital for £60,000 and football was ‘coming home’.

And just when we were thinking, things will only get worse, a young entrepreneur by the name of Jak Buela came up with a plan to bring us all together. Nubian

TWO BLACK KINGS: Bob Marley and Jak Buela are two reasons for us to keep smiling (photos: Getty Images)

HOUSEHOLD STAPLE: Nubian Jak, the classic Black history board game that once united Black British households every New Year, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026 Jak tested your knowledge of Black history and Black people.

It was beautifully packaged and wonderfully put together and it became the parlour game of choice for Black Britons throughout that Christmas and New Year.

Unsurprisingly, it is still the most successful ‘Black’ board game ever.

Old Marcus Garvey has got to take a lot of the credit for Nubian Jak’s success. Businesswise Jak Buela, pictured left, is a Garveyite through and through and through.

He is solely responsible for permanent memorials to Black British achievement that are the blue plaques.

Before he started campaigning there were only a couple of blue plaques that remembered Black achievement. Now there are dozens.

Like Garvey said, do for self. That’s what we had to do back

in the Sixties, Seventies, Eighties and Nineties when ‘happy new years’ passed us by.

We had to form our own banks (pardners) to buy our own homes (because the building societies, as they were known back then, wouldn’t lend to we) and build our own churches (because the Anglican and the Catholic churches were unwelcoming to we) and establish our own Saturday schools to teach our children when they were being excluded from or mis-educated by the state education system) and organise our own nightclubs (sound systems) so we could also rave when clubs and discos were operating illegal colour bars.

That’s what made the new years of old ‘happy’ for us despite everything else that we had to put up with it. In fact, those new years of old are some of the happiest new years we have ever known.

So forget the fireworks and the Pope’s new year’s message to the world, the only thing that makes me holler ‘HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026’ is my annual sound clash with my missus, the undisputed queen of lovers rock.

It’s a family thing. The soundclash happens in our living room to see in the new

There’s one good reason to be cheerful – the Nubian Jak board game is back for a very special 30th anniversary edition year with our loved ones. It’s become a family tradition and a way of keeping the smile on your face throughout the year.

I always look forward to it and with it.

However bad things get in 2026, when I cast my mind back to the start of the year, I will remember our new year’s eve into new year’s day counteraction and so will everybody else in the family.

I’m talking tunes. What better way to start the new year than with the sadly departed Jimmy Cliff ’s Wonderful World, Beautiful People.

Last year the missus won hands down. It was a lovers clash and she dropped Louisa Mark’s Six Street unexpectedly and had

the whole family singing along.

And you know how it go, there are very few men who can counteract a woman when it comes to lovers.

This new year I was on more familiar territory.

The theme was ‘What’s your favourite Bob Marley album?’

I went For Burnin’. I didn’t know what the queen of lovers rock is going for (I suspected Kaya or Exodus because of those sweet romance tunes on those albums).

‘What’s your favourite Bob Marley album?’ is a conversation that will last the year. No matter what else is going to happen this year.

‘What’s your favourite Bob Marley album?’ is a reminder that however bad things get for we the Black people of these British isles the King of Reggae always makes things better. HAPPY NEW YEAR! l Dotun Adebayo, Britain’s most celebrated Black broadcaster, is known as the King of the Nighttime Airwaves. All views here are his own. Listen to him overnight on BBC 5 Live from 1-5am Saturday mornings – Monday mornings & 1am – 4am on BBC Radio London (Wednesday to Friday mornings).

Follow him on X: @radiodotun

JANUARY 2026 THE VOICE | 15

Lyndon Mukasa Eye on the Diaspora

Join the debate online voice-online.co.uk/opinion

A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME

I

N AUGUST last year the Port of Spain City Council in Trinidad and Tobago announced that the bronze statue of Christopher Columbus will be removed from the capital city and put into a museum.

This follows years of campaigning for the statue of the controversial figure who claimed that he “discovered” Trinidad in 1498 to be taken down.

Many advocates contended that the statue, donated in 1880

by Hypolite Borde, a wealthy Martinican cocoa planter and merchant, celebrates Trinidad’s colonial past and undermines the country’s calls for reparations from European powers.

The statue in recent years had been vandalised with its hands being chopped off, being doused with paint and most recently had its head covered up with a handbag, such is the level of hostility toward Columbus and his legacy in the Caribbean and the rest of the Americas.

The Port of Spain City Council plan to replace the statue with a new monument and square that pays tribute to the victims of the genocide of the indigenous population, the Transatlantic slave trade and colonialism.

The move to remove such colonial relics comes at a time where Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the rest of the Caribbean, are at a point in their history where they are reassessing their history and relationship with colonial powers.

Recently, Grenada removed the oath of allegiance to King Charles III signalling potential steps towards republicanism in the near future.

Other Caribbean countries have also more openly signalled a desire to break with colonial legacies and better reflect the history and heritage of the Caribbean and its people.

In St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Minister of Finance argued for the need to remove the colonial era statues as part of a gradual process of change.

Similarly in Jamaica there have been calls for the removal of slavery era monuments. Countries like Barbados have already removed the 200-year-old statue of British Naval Commander Lord Horatio Nelson while remaining colonial monuments are increasingly being damaged and vandalised as in the case of the statue of Christopher

What does the removal of colonial era statues in Trinidad and Tobago mean for the rest of the Caribbean?

Caribbean leaders to focus their political energy on deepening regional integration under CARICOM in order to advocate An angry young for more as a stronger collective. generation That said, I do think it Part of the reason for this shift represents a growing shift among is that many politicians are people across the region to shed becoming increasingly aware their colonial influences and of a younger generation that is assert a Caribbean identity that looking to assert their country’s better honours and reflects the autonomy and independence.

They have a different perspective legacy that people have a link to. to that of their grandparents or Moreover, it is an assertion of great-grandparents. independence and autonomy.

The colonial propaganda of I believe that in the context of empire has been wearing off with anti-colonialism we can advocate each decade since independence. removing the symbols of colonial This has been further domination while working to intensified by recent events, such bring about greater economic as the Home Office Windrush justice. The two ideas don’t have scandal, which exposed many to be mutually exclusive. young people to the unjust As the region heads into 2026, suffering endured by Caribbean this dual approach will hopefully communities and reinforced the take clearer shape. widely held belief that Britain has The symbolic dismantling of not fundamentally changed since colonial-era monuments will the colonial era. continue alongside tangible Also, perceptions of Europe efforts to renegotiate the have significantly shifted in economic terms under which recent decades leading many to Caribbean nations operate. question the value of preserving We may see governments significant ties. Underpinning make renewed calls for this is social media which has reparatory justice, take more had a radicalising effect on assertive trade positions, and young people looking to assert make investments in education their cultural identity and their that centre on Caribbean country’s authentic history. histories and indigenous knowledge systems.

Virtue signalling?

At the same time, a new Despite this, there are critics who generation, more politically argue that the tearing down of vocal and digitally connected, statues represent little more than will continue to pressure leaders symbolism without true material to ensure that the symbolic substance. They argue it will not removal of colonial-era statues fundamentally alter people’s lives is accompanied by substantive for the better materially and that progress, including climate placing them in a museum could financing that acknowledges incur extra costs to taxpayers. the West’s responsibility for They contend that a better the region’s disproportionate approach would have been for vulnerability to climate change, a reality underscored by recent hurricanes.

NEW HOME: What we will hopefully Columbus’ see this year is that removing statue will statues may serve not now be as an endpoint, but as a placed in catalyst – a visible sign that a Trinidad the Caribbean is actively museum, asserting its identity and according to power while demanding the reports (photo: economic transformation Port of Spain City long denied to its people.

Colombus in the Bahamas in 2022.

Corporation FB page)

l Lyndon Mukasa is a writer and researcher. He studied International Development at the London School of Economics

TIME FOR CHANGE: The Christopher Columbus Statue was removed by Port of Spain City Corporation in Trinidad in August last year (photo: Port of Spain City Corporation FB page)

16 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

News

TOP HONOUR FOR WRITER Hackney teenager Romeo Bremmer wins British Citizen Youth Award. By Sinai Fleary

A

N EAST London teenager has been honoured for his writing talents at the House of Lords.

The British Citizen Youth Award, now in its ninth year, recently honoured 22 young people from across the UK for making a positive impact on their communities or wider society.

Each inspirational young person was presented with the BCyA Medal of Honour at The Palace of Westminster and invited to use the post-nominals ‘BCyA’, as a legacy of their achievements and endeavours.

One of those was Romeo Bremmer, who is one of the 2025 BCyA Roll of Honour Recipients.

He said: “This medal is for all the Windrush elders like my nan, grandad and great grans, who braved the cold and travelled to the UK to start a new life.

“They worked for the NHS and London Transport in the late 1950’s and early 1960s and made a massive contribution to the UK and I’m so proud of this honour. Because of them I am!”

Honoured in the House of Lords The Hackney teenager received the honour of using the letters BCyA (British Citizen Youth Award) after his name after been awarded a British Citizen Youth Award medal in the House of Lords for his writing talents.

The student has written nine books and secured a grant from Hackney Council’s Culture Team to train 60 Windrush elders in writing their stories of hope and courage.

His work has impressed Denize Ledeatte, the Director of the Windrush Museum who presented him with a Windrush Book and an invitation to do the workshop with

HONOURED: TV presenter Tim Vincent, Romeo Bremmer BCyA, Dame Mary Perkins, founder of Specsavers and patron of the British Citizen Awards their visitors. Additionally, Romeo trains young writers to become published authors which has had a positive impact on them and their families, with many developing increased self-belief, heightened abilities and a raised self-esteem

impacting on the work they do in schools and their local communities.

His commitment to supporting all children, locally, nationally and internationally, to have access to reading materials led him to start

a fundraising drive with two other young authors.

Together they have raised over £25,000 so far in funds, equipment, and resources to support a school library and resource centre in Accra, Ghana. Romeo’s focus is now

to complete the final year of his A-level studies but he will donate the proceeds from his book sales to help support Jamaica’s rebuilding efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Melissa.

“I have had the privilege of visiting the beautiful island which is the birthplace of my grans so it is my duty to help,” he said.

TV presenter Tim Vincent, who hosted the event, said: “The BCyA Honours celebrate compassion, selflessness, grit and determination in the young people who are so deserving of their medal.

I am delighted to be part of this celebration.”

The British Citizen Youth Award in partnership with Specsavers, is widely viewed as the nation’s way of recognising extraordinary, everyday young people for exceptional endeavour and is open to any person aged 18 or under who is committed to helping others. l For further information about the British Citizen Youth Award and 2026 nominations please visit: www.britishcitizenyouthawards.co.uk

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JANUARY 2026 THE VOICE | 17

News Feature

THE CARIBBEAN CAKE THAT CARRIES A PEOPLE’S STORY

From Empire to emancipation, Dr Les Johnson charts the journey of Jamaican Black Cake

B

EFORE THE research, before the archives, before the Windrush stories and the National Windrush Museum, there is the voice of someone who lived it.

Christine Marzouca, a Jamaicaborn community historian who has spent more than 20 years documenting Jamaican traditions, describes it this way: “Black Cake is not just something you bake, it is something you inherit. Every family’s recipe carries the memory of a woman who taught someone else how to survive.”

Her words underline what the Windrush Food Culture exhibition makes clear: Black Cake, like many other African Caribbean food traditions, is both food and philosophy, a record of labour, migration, and the inventive genius of Caribbean women.

Marzouca recalls childhood December mornings in Montego Bay. “The whole house would smell of rum and orange peel. Before you learn to read, you learn the smell of the fruit jar. That is how you know Christmas coming.”

Her testimony and research place Black Cake firmly within the Jamaican social world, a space where women preserved techniques orally, long before they appeared in cookbooks or magazines.

Those oral transmissions are precisely what scholars like Corinne Collins describe as the “kitchen archive” of Jamaican domestic life.

Marzouca’s recollections frame everything that follows: the colonial history, the emancipation era, the Windrush journey, and the emergence of a global Black Cake economy. First, in Jamaican homes around the world there is a moment each December when a bottle of rum-soaked fruit is opened and the entire house changes.

The air fills with alcohol, spice and something harder to name: memory. When the batter is finally poured and the oven door closes, a year of quiet preparation turns into a single object: Black Cake.

Food historian Brigid RansomeWashington captures its importance simply: “There is no Christmas without Black Cake.”

To understand why this is more than a festive exaggeration, we discussed the cake back through empire, emancipation and migration.

From British pudding to Caribbean cake Black Cake’s distant ancestor is the

British Christmas pudding or plum pudding, a dense, spiced dessert made with dried fruits, suet and alcohol. British colonists carried this ritualised holiday dish into the Caribbean from the seventeenth century onwards.

As Nateshia Crawford writes in Caribbean Heritage Magazine: “Black Cake… is very similar to the popular British Christmas plum pudding brought to the Caribbean during British colonialism.”

In 1655, Britain seized Jamaica from Spain and rapidly expanded sugar plantations powered by enslaved African labour. This sugarrum complex produced the very ingredients that would shape Black Cake: muscovado sugar, molasses, treacle and rum.

Across the 18th and 19th centuries, Afro-Caribbean cooks reworked the pudding into a creolised cake using: l Rum instead of brandy or sherry l Burnt sugar/browning for the iconic dark colour l Local spices – nutmeg, allspice, pimento, cinnamon l Baking instead of boiling (better suited to Caribbean stoves) By the late 19th century, the cake had transformed into something distinctly Caribbean. Food writer Samantha Seneviratne puts it plainly: “The cake is a descendant of colonial British plum pudding.”

Emancipation and the meaning of sweetness Emancipation in Jamaica in 1838 changed the social meaning of sugar. No longer solely a symbol of plantation power, sweetness became a medium of celebration at baptisms, weddings, Christmas mornings.

Caroline Sullivan’s Jamaica Cookery Book (1893) shows how cake-baking and confectionery had become part of a complex creole cuisine.

It does not contain a recipe titled “Black Cake”, and as scholar Corinne Collins notes, this absence reminds us of something crucial.

“Much Black Cake knowledge travelled orally, from mother to daughter, hand to hand in Jamaican kitchens,” she said.

With emancipation came new rituals: fruit soaked for months – even a year – in rum and wine, then folded into batter for Christmas or weddings. According to Collins this illustrates the traditional patience that the recipe requires. “The fruit

MEMORIES: A mother and daughter preparing fruit for Black Cake, echoing the oral traditions that kept the recipe alive across centuries (photos: Shutterstock)

A NATIONAL WINDRUSH MUSEUM BLACK CAKE TIMELINE 1655 – Britain seizes Jamaica; sugar and rum economy expands 1700s–early 1800s – Plum pudding enters colonial households; AfroCaribbean cooks adapt it.

1834–1838 – Emancipation; celebration foods take on new cultural meaning.

1893 – Sullivan publishes Jamaica Cookery Book 1948 – Empire Windrush

arrives; Black Cake begins documented life in Britain 1950s–1970s – Diaspora bakeries flourish in the UK, Canada and the US 1987 – Angela Price launches The Black Cake Company in Brooklyn 2000s–2020s – Globalisation of Black Cake through online sales, books, media and tourism

should be soaked in wine and rum for at least six months.”

What began as an imperial dessert had become a freedom cake, born of time, labour and selfdetermination.

New York turned their domestic expertise into informal bakeries.

Weddings, christenings, Christmas parties all required cake.

Families exchanged tins of Black Cake and jars of fruit-soak across the Atlantic. The historical objects became transporters of flavour, spice and memory. Mazouca calls this “The edible postal system of Caribbean love.”

Windrush journeys: Black Cake in transit In June 1948, the HMT Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury, bringing hundreds of Caribbean migrants to post-war Britain. With them travelled language, music and recipes.

Royal Museums Greenwich notes in Sorrel and Black Cake: A Windrush Story that these foods became anchors of identity in a Britain that was often unwelcoming.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, Black Cake was firmly established in diaspora life. Women in London, Birmingham, Toronto and

TRADITIONS: A slice of Black Cake, the cake that has been shaped by empire, emancipation and Caribbean ingenuity

Her work shows how a women-led secrets migration carries across domestic tradition became a diaspo- oceans. Black Cake is described as: ra enterprise, transforming cultural “The culmination of centuries of capital into economic opportunity. pain, bitterness and travel through Today, Black Cakes are sold around the African diaspora.” the world largely through: Denize Ledeatte, the National Windrush Museum Director and l Independent bakeries and Windrush Food Culture exhibition online shops l Supermarket world food aisles lead, notes: “Every December… the chorus… is unified and resonant: l Food festivals and Christmas ‘There is no Christmas without markets Black Cake.’” l Luxury hampers As a museum we have tried not From home kitchen to The cake has moved from kitchglobal mail-order en sideboard to global marketplace, to over-romanticise Black Cake, as there are so many other delicious One of the clearest examples of without losing its roots. and historical examples of great AfBlack Cake becoming commercial rican Caribbean cakes and desserts. is Angela Price’s Black Cake ComBlack Cake as story pany in Brooklyn. Founded in 1987, and symbol it pioneered mail-order Caribbean Black Cake now circulates in litera- l Windrush Food Culture, an cakes for diaspora families. exhibition about the impact of ture, television and global media.

Price explains: “It’s not someCharmaine Wilkerson’s bestsell- Windrush generation cuisine on thing that you get up in the Britain, is on at the National Wining novel Black Cake (2022) uses morning and just throw some the dessert as a metaphor for family drush Musuem at Royal Museums ingredients together.” memory, diaspora identity and the Greenwich, London

18 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

Special Feature

ADVERTORIAL

The Caribbean Scholars Foundation Launches to Tackle the Black-Caribbean Attainment Gap

Kianna Fritz

Riann Cato Riann Cato Riann Cato Founder Founder

Founder

F

Head of Programmes and Head of Marketing andCaila Ryner Kianna Fritz Kianna Fritz Communications Caila Ryner Operations

Head of Marketing and Head of Marketing and Communications Communications

Zachary Eliott

Caila Ryner

Head of Programmes and Head of Programmes and Operations Operations

Sade Ajose

Educational Consultant Head of Sponsorships and Sade Ajose

Zachary Eliott “There needs to be a targeted programme created for us and ounded in 2020 by Riann Cato, the Caribbean SadehasAjose Zachary Eliott Scholars Foundation (CSF) relaunched this year Partnerships by us -- something the government failed to deliver since with a mission to address one of the most persisthe arrival of the first generation of Caribbean children in the Consultant tent inequalities in British education, the attain- and 1940s. In our first Educational mentoring programme in 2021, we helped Head of Sponsorships ment gap facing Black-Caribbean students. six Black-Caribbean students secure university offers with one Educational Consultant Head of Sponsorships and For more than four decades, Black-Caribbean pupils have of our alumni now studying Medicine at Cambridge.”

Partnerships been disproportionately affected by structural racism in UK Partnerships schools. From the historic misuse of “ESN” schools which A level Mentoring Programme 2026 wrongly labelled Caribbean children as “educationally subnorCSF has launched its free mentoring programme for Blackmal”, to today’s ongoing disparities in attainment, exclusion Caribbean A-level students. Applications to become a mentor rates and access to academic support, Caribbean students or mentee are now open at caribbeanscholarsfoundation.com. have consistently been placed at a disadvantage.

Black-Caribbean students remain one of the lowest-perInaugural Event forming ethnic groups at GCSE and A-level, second only to the CSF will host its official launch event on 10 January 2026, Irish Gypsy and Traveller community. The impact of systematfeaturing a panel of Caribbean professionals and networking CONTACT US: ic racism has led to disparities which directly influence univer- opportunities. caribbeanscholarsfoundation@gmail.com Programme: sity access, career prospects and long-term socialMentoring mobility.

Follow @caribbeanscholarsfoundation on Instagram and The Caribbean Scholars Foundation aims to shift that LinkedIn for updates.

WEBSITE: trajectory.

Two 3-month structured mentorship schemes pairing 16-18 year old Caribbean students with CSF supports Black-Caribbean students aged 14–21 About the Caribbean Scholars Foundation https://caribbeanscholarsfoundation.com Programme: through its dedicatedMentoring A-level mentoring programme, along- students The Caribbean Scholars Foundation exists to university and professionals toempower buildBritish academic confidence, career awareness, and soft side career workshopsMentoring and industry-led events designed to Black-Caribbean students aged 14–21. The organisation is led Programme: SOCIAL MEDIA increase representation competitive universities and profesby Riann Catoschemes (Founder) Cailapairing Ryner (Head16-18 of Programmes Two in3-month structured mentorship year old Caribbean students with skills. sional sectors. and Operations) and Sade Ajose (Educational Consultant).

Instagram:students @cscholarsfoundation Two 3-month structured mentorship schemes pairing 16-18 year old Caribbean with “As soon as I entered my first year of university, the lack professionals of CSF aims to close the attainment gap, expandconfidence, access to university students and to build academic career awareness, softFoundation LinkedIn: Caribbean and Scholars fellow Black-Caribbean students was alarming,” says founder higher education and competitive careers, and curate a space university students and professionals to build academic confidence, career awareness, and soft Riann Cato. “Our experiences are often homogenised with that& celebrates Caribbean culture, identity and academic Workshops Events: Tik Tok: @cscholarsfoundation skills.

Black-African students, which means the disparities we face excellence. go unrecognised skills. and unaddressed.”

Educational and cultural events spotlighting Caribbean excellence, history, and identity.

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What we currently offer What What we we currently currently offer offer

AUGUST 2025

THE VOICE | 9

20 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

Special Feature

ADVERTORIAL

Camberwell has got an update!

New “Camberwell Life” app connects residents, shops, and culture in one place

C

amberwell is going digital. The SE5 Forum for Camberwell, in partnership with UK tech company Loqiva, is launching Camberwell Life — a new app that will bring SE5’s shops, services, events, and community news straight to local people’s phones.

Funded by Southwark Council through Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding, the app gives residents a single space to discover what’s happening nearby, while supporting independent

businesses and local organisations to reach more people, more easily.

From cafés around Camberwell Green to cultural highlights like Theatre Peckham, music venues, community events at King’s College Hospital, and the Arts and Food festivals, Camberwell Life showcases the energy, creativity, and diversity that helped earn Camberwell its recent spot as one of Time Out’s “Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World”.

A new way to explore and connect The app provides a digital noticeboard for Camberwell — featuring local offers, volunteer opportunities, community updates, and events. Early data from other platforms by developer Loqiva shows posts on these local apps are read up to 10 times more often than content on social media, with event pages receiving over 20,000 views within the first six months of launch.

Marie Staunton, Secretary of the SE5 Forum for Camberwell, said: “Camberwell Life is Camberwell in your pocket. It puts every gig, gallery, café and community group at your fingertips – and ends FOMO for locals. It helps residents explore what’s on their doorstep and gives small businesses and volunteer groups a platform to shine. The app has brought businesses and community groups together in West Norwood and Tulse Hill. In a first for Southwark, Camberwell Life will do the same here. It’s all about celebrating what makes Camberwell such a special place to live and work.”

Barry Conlon, Co-founder of Loqiva, added: “Working with the SE5 Forum has been fantastic. Camberwell has this unique mix of culture, art, and heritage — Camberwell Life lets people see and support it all in one place.”

Help for local businesses Camberwell Councillor Jason Ochere said “High streets and town centres are under real pressure from the cost-of-living crisis to the rapid growth of online shopping putting small and independent businesses at risk. This app is designed to reverse that trend by driving footfall directly to local shops and giving residents meaningful incentives to spend within the Camberwell community. It’s a practical step forward toward keeping Camberwell’s high street vibrant and full of thriving local businesses” Every Camberwell business will get its own page on the platform, free for the first year. Over 100 small businesses have already signed up. The app is being shaped by a steering group of local traders – Howard Brothers, Gayle’s Coffee Shop, Gladwell’s, Conveenie and Eleven with Kings College Hospital – to make sure it works for businesses of every size.

Bipin Bhandara of Howard Brothers, which has sold hardware in Camberwell for over 60 years, said: “Business has changed massively with technology and small shops being left behind.

We need a strong digital presence, and this app will make it easier for residents to find us and shop, eat and spend locally.”

AVAILABLE SOON Until our launch, residents can pre-register via the SE5 Forum website to get early access and updates. https://www.camberwell. life/discover/ camberwell-life-app/ Camberwell Life launches on Wednesday, 3 December 2025 and will be free to download from the App Store and Google Play.

JANUARY 2026

THE VOICE | 21

Special Feature

ADVERTORIAL

Sackville gives back to Jamaica

S

ackville Travel has reaffirmed its commitment to the Jamaican community by providing ongoing support to those affected by the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa.

Recognising that recovery will be a long and arduous journey, the company continues to stand in solidarity with individuals, families, and communities as they rebuild their lives.

Driven by personal connection and a deep-rooted love for the Jamaica community, Sackville Travel has extended support across multiple initiatives aimed at delivering both immediate relief and longer-term assistance. The company has actively supported fundraising efforts, community-led programmes to ensure aid reaches those most in need.

DONATIONS Support provided by Sackville Travel has included volunteering, donating food supplies through church organisations shipping barrels and crates, providing financial donations to trusted organisations engaged in rebuilding and repairing homes as well as donating to women and children

communities. Supported by the Jamaica Tourist Board and British Airways, the Director of Sackville Travel, together with seven travel industry representatives, travelled to the island delivering essential equipment, food, toiletries, and clothing, which are currently being distributed to communities most in need.

Laverne Walker with travel representatives

groups. In addition, a representative travelled to Jamaica to deliver essential items, which are currently being disbursed to often overlooked and hidden communities.

During the visit to Jamaica, Sackville Travel partnered with Northgate Youth and Family Development Foundation to ensure vital support reached vulnerable families and underserved

SUPPORTING Speaking on the initiative, Laverne Walker, Director of Sackville Travel, said: “Our relationship with Jamaica goes far beyond travel.

It is built on love, responsibility, and community. We remain committed to supporting those affected by Hurricane Melissa, not only in the immediate aftermath but throughout the recovery journey.”

Sackville Travel’s actions reflect its longstanding commitment to community engagement, responsible tourism, and meaningful partnerships within the Caribbean.

T:020 7274 2242 W: www.sackvilletravel.com

(above) Jamaica tourist board, NYFD Foundation & Travel professionals (right) Laverne Walker, Director at Sackville Travel

‘the print specialist’

Happy Holidays Thanks for a year full of creativity here’s to 2026 6!

17 High Street . Bilston . West Midlands WV14 0EH Tel: 01902 408660 . E-mail: info@learprint.co.uk Website: www.learprint.co.uk

JANUARY 2026

THE VOICE | 23

Special Feature

ADVERTORIAL

High Commissioner of The Gambia to the UK receiving an award on behalf of the First Lady of The Gambia for international recognition of her work with women and girls in the Gambia

Milton Keynes, Bucks, Beds & Northants Black Excellence Awards Celebrate Outstanding Achievement and Community Impact

M

ilton Keynes played host to an inspiring evening of celebration as the Milton Keynes, Bucks, Beds & Northants Black Excellence Awards brought together leaders, professionals, creatives and community champions from across the region.

The prestigious event honoured outstanding individuals and organisations whose work continue to uplift communities and create meaningful impact.

This year’s Awards featured 12 nomination categories, recognising excellence across a wide range of sectors.

Winners included Vicky Mensah, Community Leader of the Year; Dr Jacqueline Bamfo, Professional of the Year; Bukky Ajibola, owner of Hub Care Support, who won Leading Entrepreneur (Over £100,000); eLID Hub CIC, awarded Black-Led Organisation Making a Difference; and Smoking Pots, named Food and Drink Business of the Year. Nominees were drawn primarily from Milton Keynes, with strong representation from Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, reflecting the growing regional reach of the Awards.

Two Unsung Hero Awards were presented to Beatrice Bategerezi and Chris Hayter in recognition of their selfless and often unseen contributions.

Additionally, seven individuals from policing, dance, legal, creative, education, youth work, medical and faith sectors received Lifetime Achievement Awards, alongside organisational awards for The Parks Trust, MK:Act, and Thames Valley Police, honouring their commitment to equity and bridge-building with the Black community.

Now in its fourth year, this marked the first expansion beyond Milton Keynes, signalling the Awards’ growing influence.

The event was sponsored by NewCoPro, producers of the Sydney 905 water filters who flew to the UK for the Awards, from Germany, Switzerland and Spain. The supporting sponsors were KAYKO drinks and VM media from London and Surrey.

It was organised by Linked Events founded by Nana Ama Ofori-Atta who is also a local Milton Keynes City Councillor supported by Natalie Djima of Regal Booths.

Dignitaries included the High commissioner of The Gambia to the UK and the Permanent Secretary, Office of The Gambia’s first Lady, the Protocol office and Counselor who represented the Gambia’s First lady who due to certain logistical issues could not attend. Other dignitaries included the Deputy High Commissioner of Ghana to the UK, the

Mayor of Milton Keynes, Cllr James Lancaster, Deputy Mayor of Milton Keynes, Cllr Paul Trendall, Cricket legend, Roland Butcher and Former Deputy Lieutenant, Francesca Skelton among others.

The event judges, Cllr Sam crooks, Elaine Dicerbo, Abena Akuffo-Kelly, Princess Olu Toyin and Tolu Fagbola were also in attendance and discussed the judging process and gave advice for nominees to focus on impact and data when sending in nominations in order to present strong nominations.

Held at the beautiful Wilton Hall in Bletcheley, who provided excellent service, guests came from various parts of the UK. Reflecting on the event, the organiser said: “I organise the Awards to provide a platform for Black excellence to be showcased and to shine. At a time when negative narratives dominate, it is vital to hold up a different mirror—one that says, ‘you matter’, ‘you are doing an excellent job’, and ‘we see you’.”

The evening was described as a joyful and powerful celebration of excellence, pride and community by attendees—a true testament to the impact and resilience being honoured across the region.

Lifetime Award recipient, Wain McIntosh MBE

24 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

News Feature

BLACK MEN DESERVE BETTER. WE MUST MAKE SURE THEY GET IT

Despite a disappointing decision by the UK National Screening Committee, Keith Morgan from Prostate Cancer UK says the charity’s campaign for lifesaving screening for Black men is only getting louder

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we have to do now is unlock this ADS. BROTHERS. Partners. Friends. We evidence, and at Prostate Cancer all know someone UK we have the key. whose life has been Our £42 million TRANSFORM changed forever by the most trial will provide the science on the common cancer in men. impact of the latest approaches Too many of us have lost that to screening and show the way to person. This disease kills 12,000 an effective screening programme men every year, and one in four that can save thousands of lives Black men will get it. each year.

That is why the decision of the It’s the largest and most ambiUK National Screening Committious trial of its kind in 20 years. It tee (NSC) to not recommend is backed by the NHS, the National screening for most men, including Institute for Health and Care ReBlack men who are at much higher search (NIHR) and the UK Governrisk of prostate cancer, feels so ment, and led by six world-leading personal. So disappointing. So hard researchers, representing four of to accept. the UK’s biggest research centres.

Prostate cancer is curable if It will involve hundreds of thoufound early. But we know that not sands of men, run over a decade only are Black men more likely to and crucially, begin delivering reget it and to die from it, we are also sults in as little as two years’ time, more likely to be diagnosed at a which we have already agreed the late stage and less likely to receive NSC will review as they become the treatments recommended by available, because we know men the National Institute for Health cannot wait. and Care Excellence (NICE).

And this can’t simply be put INEQUALITIES down to where Black men live, as The trial is also designed to our latest report shows that even ensure an equitable approach to in the least deprived areas Black including Black men, who have men die from prostate cancer at historically been woefully underhigher rates than white men in the represented in medical research most deprived areas. and deserve better – so we’ll enLeaving early detection of pros- sure the Black community is part tate cancer to chance entrenches of the future of prostate cancer these inequalities and feeds a fatal screening. postcode lottery.

In the meantime, we’re investing We’re reviewing the committee’s £4.6 million over the next five years report in detail, to fully understand to end the inequalities for Black the rationale for its decision. But men facing prostate cancer – inwhatever we find, we’re conficluding a £3.6 million Black dent the evidence is there to take urgent, lifesaving action for Black men, and so we are challenging the government to set out a clear plan for tackling late diagnosis and the inequities that are leaving Black men’s lives to chance.

But in the committee’s disappointing decision, there is a ray of hope. The recommendation of screening for men with BRCA gene variation is the first time they’ve recommended screening of any kind for prostate cancer.

It shows that with definitive evidence, we can shift the dial on TURNING screening and stop THE TIDE: men dying from Keith Morgan this disease. What

CAMPAIGN: Des Reid takes the fight for prostate screening to the heart of Westminster; below, Prostate Cancer UK’s message reaches gyms as Black men are urged to take control of their health (photos: Rosie Lonsdale) Health Equity strategy and a £1 million funding call for ‘real world evidence’ projects, which will provide vital data to help build an even stronger case for screening Black men.

The screening committee were clear that Black men are more likely to benefit from screening than other men, but “data uncertainty” meant that they were unable to recommend screening for these men, so our projects that are already underway here will start to plug these gaps and build the evidence for the next review.

The first major project for our Black Health Equity strategy has launched in the West Midlands – a region with the second-largest population of Black people in England and Wales, and where a disproportionate number of men are still getting incurable prostate cancer.

We’re working on the ground to discover and dismantle the root causes of why Black men are getting late-stage diagnoses.

But we’re not doing it alone; a mission of this scale must be a collective endeavour.

So, alongside our partners in the West Midlands Cancer Alliance and other leading forces, we’re designing new ways for communities to connect with local organisations

and the NHS so that Black men are more informed, united, and empowered to navigate prostate cancer. We’re also knocking on the doors of power, campaigning on the government to make immediate changes to the system that we know will save hundreds of lives a year and give Black men a fairer chance of an early diagnosis.

Our teams are working alongside supporters in Westminster, like Calvin Bailey MP, to get outdated NHS guidelines overhauled right now, so that GPs can finally have proactive conversations with their Black patients about our higher risk and our right to get a

the science to prove that men will benefit and that lives will be saved, we can change the system and bring about a historic shift for our dads, our brothers, our mates and the future generations of Black men and their families that follow us.

You can support the future MOMENTUM of screening in the UK today by We will not, we must not, let donating to groundbreaking disappointment slow us down.

Black men’s lives have been left research like the TRANSFORM to chance for far too long, and our trial here.

Together, we can build a campaigning and research is startworld where no man dies from ing to turn the tide. prostate cancer.

This decision shows that we are building momentum. It shows l For more details please visit that with the right evidence, with prostatecanceruk.org/donate free PSA blood test. Our activism here is already working, as we’ve heard our campaign to overhaul the guidelines is under consideration and could be part of the next steps for the government in building an early detection programme.

JANUARY 2026 THE VOICE | 25

ALL ABOUT THE BASS, BEATS, AND BALANCE

Nomi Makin explores how sound system culture can be your go-to therapy in the new year

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HE BASS touches me before I reach the crowd – a heartbeat outside my body, syncing with strangers under a shared sky. In those moments, sound system culture becomes more than music; it becomes medicine.

As I explored wellness, I wondered: can sound system culture serve as therapy for Black communities in the UK? Fundamentally, sound systems create spaces for joy, grief release, and belonging through dance.

To understand this, I spoke with Rampage, one of the UK’s most iconic sound systems. They highlighted how music, wellness, and sound healing intersect, and why sound remains a force for community care. As Maurice from Rampage explained: “They offer a space for people to come and enjoy themselves, often referred to as a tribe.”

Wellness, I believe, is intrinsic, woven into daily life – from the food we eat to the company we keep and the music we listen to. Sound system culture exemplifies this. Its origins lie in joy, resistance, and information sharing.

DOMINANCE Street sound systems empowered communities, reclaiming public space and challenging elite cultural dominance.

At its core, the sound system is about accessibility, connecting people with music, knowledge, and each other in a space they belong.

After the Windrush generation migrated to the UK, cultivating belonging became essential.

They brought the Jamaican tradition of sound systems, creating DIY setups in basements, halls, and streets.

These became sanctuaries, offering emotional refuge, cultural continuity, and spaces to preserve Caribbean music, language, and spirit.

Sound systems also resonate on a personal level, linking directly to well-being.

Wellness isn’t just a commodity; it is the state of

being in good health, often through everyday rhythms.

Sound systems provide a collective space for expression, but at the centre is music itself.

Our bodies respond, swaying, moving, feeling vibrations, and this immersion becomes a somatic release, a non-verbal way to process emotion.

Different frequencies can influence brain activity, boosting relaxation, creativity, or energy.

This aligns with somatic wellness, which sees the body as holding trauma and stress, not just the mind. Bass becomes therapeutic: heavy vibrations loosen tension, sync heartbeat and breath, and facilitate emotional ‘resets.’

Within the community, we embrace difference, the ways we move, dance, and sing, all fuelled by the same riddim.

Interconnected joy opens judgment-free spaces, letting us express ourselves fully.

Rampage carefully selects songs that uplift and reset the crowd, often closing with classics like Bob Marley.

As members of the Rampage crew reminded me: “Wellness is being happy within yourself without added extras. A balanced state.”

For me, wellness has always lived in music and movement.

Blasting soulful tracks, grounding my feet, letting my body flow, it’s an instant return to joy, a release, a reminder of who I really am. Every step, sway, and ripple through the body becomes a ritual to process, celebrate, and heal.

Making this intrinsic wellness accessible is vital. It’s not about pricey trends or exclusive classes, it’s about creating spaces where everyone can feel its power.

Through conversation, education, and collective experiences, we can show wellness isn’t something to chase, it’s already inside us, ready to be celebrated, together.

Dance is my ritual. My therapy.

My anchor. My rebellion against stress and self-doubt. When the rhythm takes over, I’m home.

News

CONNECTION: Nomi Makin (far left) joins a Jamaican sound system crew

26 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

Midlands News

RISE WITH PURPOSE IN 2026

Dee’s Journey of Strength, Faith and Ambition is an inspiration for all, reminding us that courage, reinvention and purpose can shape extraordinary futures

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S 2026 begins, many of us are stepping into the year with hopes, goals and a longing to grow.

However, for those balancing family responsibilities, community roles and personal ambition, doubt often creeps in.

Can you still pursue your dreams when so much relies on you?

For Dionne Benjamin, known as Dee, the answer has always been ‘yes’. Her story shows that responsibility does not replace ambition and dreams.

Dee’s life has never followed a predictable script. Even her birth arrived with a surprise. She was meant to be born in London but entered the world in Birmingham instead.

She calls it a divine twist that shaped her lifelong identity as a proud Brummie. Her early years began in Edgbaston, and later her family moved to Small Heath, a shift that opened her eyes to new cultures and different ways of life.

Those early experiences built a foundation of adaptability and appreciation for community.

Her academic journey was equally unpredictable.

Dee studied diligently, completing a degree in Biomolecular Science followed by Sport Science & Health Science (Hons) at Coventry University.

Whilst in the early stages of a PhD in Biomechanics, things took a turn, as she explained: “My subject area was not as popular as it has now become in the UK and I was unable to travel to New Zealand for my chosen studies.”

She went on to spend 25 years working in the NHS across primary and secondary care.

Yet, a lack of career progression and her increasing role as a carer for her mum

I am always doing something; it is so much a part of me and my gifting.

It is an honour to serve, and I do feel very blessed gently pushed her toward a new path. Although she did not see it immediately, it was a transition that aligned perfectly with purpose.

As her mum’s care needs evolve into a more complex regime, so has Dee’s responsibilities as her carer. Despite the heavy demands she faced at home, she continued to serve her church with unwavering consistency.

She supports administration, finance, catering and the national welcome team.

“I am always doing something; it is so much a part of me and my gifting,” she says. “It is an honour to serve, and I feel very blessed.”

Her deep Christian faith clearly shapes her perspective and her resilience. Alongside caring for her mum and serving her church community, Dee is also a

much loved local businesswoman and founder of Benjamin Cakes.

The business began as she wanted to preserve her mum’s beloved fruit cake recipe.

Her mum cooked by instinct rather than measurement, which is commonplace across Caribbean households. Dee spent months learning to convert intuition into exact recipes, and what began as a hobby soon evolved into a purposeful business.

Today, she creates bespoke cakes, cupcakes, biscuits and sweet treat boxes in various flavours.

Her cakes have delighted clients across the country. Some people have cried tears of joy upon receiving their cake.

Others have challenged her creativity and expanded her skillset.

She laughs when recalling her most complicated design.

“That award goes to the Ted Baker black and white travel bag with extended pull handle mechanism. To this day, I really do not know what I was thinking, I’m still traumatised!”

Dee also donates generously to community causes including Acorns, John Taylor Hospice, the Salvation Army and local fundraising events.

Her day typically starts with her caring responsibilities.

“I start with doing mum’s health checks, medication, meal planning and running through appointments,” she says.

Although she does not have external carers, her strong understanding of the healthcare system helps her manage.

Her supportive church community and daily prayer line all help to keep her grounded and motivated.

Balancing caring duties, business tasks and community service is not simple. Yet Dee has mastered the art of preparation.

She plans ahead, multi-tasks effectively and keeps contingency

ROLE MODEL: Dionne Benjamin, known as Dee, is proving a real inspiration; inset left, the Adidas box and stiletto shoe cakes are among Dee’s many wonderful creations which have delighted clients across the country

options in place for unexpected moments. Her days often begin early and end late, especially when creating complex designs.

Some may ask how she does it all, but to Dee it is simple. Cooking relaxes her, faith anchors her, love motivates her and purpose drives her.

Looking ahead, Dee is firmly

committed to quality over quantity. “I would not be looking to mass produce as quality is very important to me, so nothing more than a ‘boutique’ style business.”

She draws inspiration from entrepreneurs like Levi Roots. “He started off with his Reggae Reggae Sauce and went on to produce a vast range of related products.”

This motivates her to consider developing online tutorials on her own baking tools and products similar to Jane Asher.

Dee’s message for 2026 is powerful and uplifting. You do not need to choose between caring for your loved ones and following your dreams.

Challenges in life do not have to end your story. Like Dee you can rise with determination, grace and faith in God. This year is your opportunity to step forward boldly, dream big, master your craft – and go for it! lFind Dionne on Instagram or X at @benjamincakes or email her at benjamincakes1@gmail.com

JANUARY 2026 THE VOICE | 27

By Maxine Huie

BLACK EXCELLENCE TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT BLACK ACHIEVERS AWARDS

2026 event will be another celebration of achievement across Nottinghamshire

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HE NOTTINGHAM Belfry Hotel radiated pride, glamour and togetherness in October 2025 as the Black Achievers Awards returned for another unforgettable celebration of talent, resilience and community spirit.

Now, as planning begins for the 2026 edition, it feels fitting to look back at what was one of the most powerful and uplifting Black community events of the year.

For many across the region and beyond, this annual ceremony has become a treasured date on the regional calendar.

It is a night devoted to recognising Black excellence and celebrating individuals who uplift, support and inspire others every single day.

Founded in 2011 by Merlita Bryan, the Awards were created to shine a spotlight on positive Black role models across business, arts, sport, health, community service and

public service. More than a decade on, the mission remains the same. The ceremony challenges stereotypes, raises aspirations and shows the next generation what leadership and perseverance truly look like.

The atmosphere at the 2025 event was electric from the moment the doors opened.

Distinguished guests, business leaders, community leaders and local champions filled the room, all united to honour the very best of Nottingham’s Black communities.

Nottinghamshire’s Lord Lieutenant, Professor Veronica Pickering, a long-standing supporter of the Awards, shared heartfelt words. “It is another year where we are able to honour the Black achievers here in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. The Awards are in the same great style and energy to make sure that our young leaders will be confident to become our future leaders.”

Social media buzzed with excitement, and Merlita and her

HONOURED: Mitchell’s family, recipients of the Black Achievers Appreciation award

team captured the spirit of the evening perfectly, posting: “It was such a privilege to celebrate so many inspiring individuals who make a difference every day in our community.”

Entertainment played a huge role in the atmosphere of the evening. Host Anton Leon set the tone with charm and charisma, guiding the audience through every segment with warmth and anticipation.

Comedian Rudi Lickwood had the entire room roaring with laughter thanks to his sharp wit and unforgettable stand-up set.

Then there was the fashion show

by AmMagi, an independent fashion designer from Leicester, which transformed the room into a catwalk in Paris!

She is definitely one to look out for with such an amazing, creative flare. From the production staff to the hospitality team, every element of the night contributed to a smooth, sensational and joyful celebration.

Of course, the highlight was the announcement of the 2025 winners. Each award was supported by a sponsor deeply committed to strengthening Black communities across Nottingham and beyond. Merlita and her team expressed their huge thanks as they could not do the awards without these loyal sponsors.

The winners were: Sponsor: Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service (NCVS). Winner of the Community Award: Peter Ntow.

Sponsor: Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner.

LEADING LIGHTS: Honorary Alderman Merlita Bryan MBE and Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden; right, Merlita and vice-chair Lead for Women of Colour in Policing & Fire, Guninder Nagi Winner of the Public Service Award: Neil Morgan.

Sponsor: Core Aquatics.

Winner of the Sports Person Award: Everton Richards.

Sponsor: TunTum Housing Association. Winner of the Cultural, Music and Arts Award: Saziso Phiri.

Sponsor: Royal Air Force (RAF). Winner of the Most Transformed Life Award: Agnes Anuka.

Sponsor: In2People.

Winner of the Business and Entrepreneurial Award: Marcellus Baz. Sponsor: Nottingham New Centre CIC. Winner of the Lifetime Community Contributor Award: Delroy Brown.

As the final applause faded, the evening shifted into celebration mode, with dancing, laughter and a sense that everyone in the room was walking away

a winner. The Black Achievers Awards continues to stand as a beacon of ambition, culture and community pride.

Most importantly, it sends a message to every young person watching that their story has value and their achievements will always be seen. lFor further information, visit theblackachieversaward.co.uk.

Stay tuned as nominations for the 2026 awards opens soon

Louchavan is living proof that there is potential everywhere IN A world where too many young people are written off before they have even had a chance to stand, Louchavan Lemard is a powerful reminder that potential lives everywhere.

Not just in the straight A student or the child who always follows the rules, but in the quiet one at the back, the fiery one who has seen too much too early, the one who has been told ‘no’ more times than ‘yes’.

Louchavan, a previous winner at the Black Achievers Awards, believes that every young person carries a spark. All they need is

someone who refuses to give up on them.

His journey is not polished or perfect. It is real. It is shaped by moments of struggle, being homeless with his mother at 10 years old, growing up in an environment surrounded by gangs and violence and feeling invisible.

Louchavan understands what it means to be underestimated, to be overlooked, and to forge ahead in spite of it all.

That is why he fights so fiercely to create pathways where doors are often closed. He sees potential as a gift that must be

nurtured, not a privilege handed to a select few. His message is simple yet powerful. He changed his life and you can, too. Every life has value and every young person deserves a chance. To understand the depth of his mission, the challenges he has overcome and the vision driving his work at PH247, visit The Voice online to read his full interview.

It will move you. It will challenge you and it may even change the way you see young people in our society. lRead Louchavan Lemard’s full journey at voice-online.co.uk

POWERFUL MESSAGE: Louchavan Lemard, a proud Nottinghamborn entrepreneur is changing lives

28 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2025

Lifestyle

30

The real Hezekiah Moscow took ‘A Thousand Blows’

31

32-33

ONES TO WATCH IN 2026

Meet Kamille, mother, musician and now a judge on The Next Act

34 Alisha has been busy, but this time it’s about more than mushrooms

30 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

Lifestyle

Television

THE REMARKABLE STORY OF BOXER HEZEKIAH MOSCOW Disney drama A Thousand Blows is back for round two as it explores the fascinating life of the enigmatic Jamaican fighter. By Sarah Elizabeth Cox

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THOUSAND Blows – the Disney+ series created by Peaky Blinders’ Steven Knight with a team of Black and Asian British screenwriters, directors and producers – attracted rave reviews upon its February 2025 release.

Set in the 1880s, the show follows Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby) and Alec Munroe (Francis Lovehall) as they arrive in London from Jamaica and get involved in boxing after Moscow’s dream of liontaming dies.

Moscow clashes with barefist fighter Henry ‘Sugar’ Goodson (Stephen Graham) in the ring and out, becoming rivals for pugilistic glory and the affections of Mary Carr (Erin Doherty).

There has been a wave of interest in the true stories and original research which inspired the show, particularly when it comes to the enigmatic Moscow.

Little about the characters or storylines of A Thousand Blows sticks wholly to truth, but the real Moscow’s life and career was just as dramatic as fiction.

He likely arrived in London as a

RIVALS: Malachi Kirby (Hezekiah Moscow) and Stephen Graham (Henry ‘Sugar’ Goodson) in A Thousand Blows

Moscow was the first Black man elected to the Professional Boxers Association world-travelling ship’s cabin boy in 1881, aged 19 (although a later hospital record indicates he was four years older).

Why he stayed is unknown, but he got work as a pot washer at the Blue Coat Boy pub, Whitechapel.

In 1882 he put on a pair of gloves and started boxing, training with saloon manager Punch Lewis and new friend, Jamaican mariner Munroe.

Moscow also found employment as a bear and wolf tamer at the East London Aquarium, until it burned down.

Moscow was 5ft 7in and

weighed around 135lb. He was not a bareknuckle fighter, but found success in gloved tournaments.

London’s under-10 stone class was oversaturated, with hundreds of men from dozens of boxing clubs competing for small prizes, but he was regularly praised for his performances. Moscow was in demand for exhibition sparring too, attracting paying drinkers to venues.

After less than two years boxing, he became a respected trainer himself, managing East London pub gyms.

He dabbled in race-walking events, and was known to sing occasionally. With an Irish boxer, Moscow founded the Nottingham Amateur Boxing Association and trained men in the Midlands.

The first Professional Boxers Association was formed in London in 1885 and Moscow was an inaugural member and the first Black man elected. Before the age of 30, he had taken part in more than 120 matches, the majority being three-round exhibitions.

Despite this prolificity and his reputation as a scientific and entertaining boxer, life was tough and Moscow was not financially comfortable or safe on the streets of Whitechapel.

He rented rooms on impoverished streets and took menial work, including fish portering. Munroe was stabbed in a lodging house in 1885 and died from infection. A year on, Moscow was stabbed in the face and chest after refusing to buy a stranger a coffee and spent two weeks on the same hospital ward Alec died on.

His attacker served just four months. A few weeks after being discharged, Moscow was back in the ring, later appearing on the undercard at an event welcoming world champion John L Sullivan to London.

The number of AfricanAmerican and Caribbean-born boxers in London grew over the 1880s.

When a competition solely for Black men was held in 1887, most dropped out when they heard Moscow and Barbadian Felix Scott were involved. The Scott-Moscow match was called a draw by judges. Scott set himself up with a touring

STATUESQUE: This photo of Hezekiah Moscow (under his ‘stage name’ Ching Hook) is held by the National Archives.

It is one of three photographs of boxers registered in April 1888 by East End photographer Harry Carpenter (1860–1906)

fairground boxing booth, while Moscow took to music halls, entertaining thousands around the country with boxing-themed sketches.

Both men were billed as Black Champions of England, and both had matches at the exclusive Pelican Club in front of high society.

In March 1892, Moscow left the room he shared with his ‘Irish Cockney’ wife Mary Anne and their baby and was never seen again.

Mary described him as a good husband and father, and was convinced he had come to harm. He was due to appear at a boxing event in France but did not show.

Years later, another boxer claimed to have seen Moscow working as a dock guard in New York, ‘half-starved and friendless’.

The East End and the boxing circuit were run by shady, scary, powerful, men. Had he got in

BOX OFFICE: A boxing advert for Moscow (as Ching Ghook, the most-commonly used version of his pseudonym) trouble? Anti-migrant sentiment was running high, too. Was he sick of the place, still ambitious, and wanting to see the world? Moscow is a complicated, mysterious man. He was always known by the pseudonym Ching Hook but it was spelled a dozen ways in archival records and newspapers, so researching him is tough.

He may or may not have been mixed-heritage Chinese, and there is little evidence of exactly where he was born, we only know it was the Caribbean.

A court report said he had a foreign accent, but does not say

what kind. Moscow’s own voice is missing from the 10 years of press coverage he attracted during his decade here. So while A Thousand Blows strays from fact, it creatively brings a whole man, with a personality, thoughts, feelings, and experiences, back to life. l A Thousand Blows season two

airs from January 9, 2026 on Disney+. l The Devil’s Dance Floor - Hezekiah Moscow and the Fight for Life in Late-Victorian London by Sarah Elizabeth Cox will be published by Duckworth, Spring 2027

JANUARY 2026 THE VOICE | 31

Music

Lifestyle

KAMILLE’S LEAP OF FAITH REAPS ITS REWARDS The London-born songwriter and singer relishing her now role as a music mentor. By Joel Campbell

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PEAKING ON the experience of unearthing new and unseen talent, Kamille, a mentor on the Netflix show, The Next Act, told Lifestyle that she had never done anything like it before and grabbed the opportunity with both hands when Simon Cowell put in the unexpected call to come and join his coveted inner circle.

A lot of readers may be wondering who Kamille is. But rest assured the south Londonborn two-time Grammy and Ivor Novello Award-winning singer and songwriter definitely has the credentials.

After earning a degree in Economics and working as a stockbroker, Kamille took a leap of faith.

Quitting her job, she headed into the studio and wrote her first song, What About Us for The Saturdays, which shot straight to number one.

From there, she became the go-to songwriter and producer for Britain’s biggest artists, shaping the soundtrack of a generation – from Little Mix to Dua Lipa and Jess Glynne.

Her prowess has been well known within the industry for some years.

“Simon reached out to me.

We are longtime friends,” she explained when asked how she ended up on The Next Act. “I first met Simon working on the X-Factor, which was so overwhelming that I was even asked to work on that show with him. I’d be in board meetings with him and one thing I loved is he would always ask for my opinion, even though there would be crazy execs in the room. He would still want to know my opinion and I loved that.

“I just stayed close to him and ended up working with a lot of his acts on Syco at the time like Little Mix, James Arthur and One Direction. I wrote most of my songs with Little Mix. I had 32 songs with them and two number ones, and it’s just been a crazy journey.”

Kamille has preferred to stay in the background throughout her career, which is one of the reasons many won’t have heard of her. It is also because she often finds herself wondering how it all transpired in the way it has.

“I definitely suffer from a lot of imposter syndrome, I really really do. I sometimes don’t understand how I got here. But one thing I do know is I work extremely hard. I think, through that period I was writing so many songs and hustling my way into so many rooms and working with everyone you can think of in the industry, and just kind of worked my way up slowly slowly.”

The Next Act is a docuseries chronicling music mogul Cowell’s high-stakes quest to form a new global boyband, featuring open auditions,

Sometimes I don’t understand how I got here. But I do know I work extremely hard intense training with producers, and the drama of creating a group to rival his past successes.

Watch the full interview on our website to hear what the near two year process has been like for Kamille, especially given the fact she was pregnant and gave birth to her second child at the time.

Determined to uplift others and leave a legacy, she enthused: “There’s just so much talent out there. I think that’s what kills me, knowing how many talented people aren’t found.

That, for me, is a painful thing.

It’s so frustrating.

“I think that’s why I did this show. For me, it’s just about giving people opportunities.

That’s the least I can do with the platform I have.”

RECOGNITION: Kamille is a past winner at the Ivor DECEMBER Novello Awards (photo: PA Images)

32 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2025

Lifestyle

26 TO WATCH IN 2026 JOSEPH CHARM

You may not have heard of them yet, but trust us, you will in 2026. Lifestyle has hand-picked a selection of just some of the fresh stars doing amazing things for our Ones to Watch list

Comedian, actor, presenter. Sketch by sketch he killed 2025.

The consistency, the levels, everything just went up and ain’t no turning back now for this man. He’s going to be very much in demand this year for a multitude of reasons.

ON AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY: Myvanwy Evans

KAZEEM JAMAL

When stand up comedian king, Slim, says to watch out for someone, well, you watch out for them.

Kazeem has already told the Voice that he has big plans to keep growing his digital presence with a view to hosting his own tour in 2027, so our advice is to join his army of fans and supporters and tag along for the ride. Professional, competent and a slight edge to him, we think you’ll be entertained.

OFFICIAL SPUDDZ

Self-proclaimed comedic rockstar by name and by nature, Spuddz has been delivering his brand of comedy online for a hot minute and it’s going down well. At a time when all around us seems so serious the south Londoner presents as a welcome distraction. Don’t get it twisted, the man’s a force, if you’ve been around him you will know this. Go follow and watch what happens this year.

NOAH CALUORI

The English professional rugby union footballer who plays as a winger for Prem Rugby club Saracens is already a beacon of inspiration and he hasn’t yet touched his 20th birthday. Lifestyle has spoken to up and coming rugby enthusiasts in their early teens and they all want to be like Noah – and we remember when he was born! The journey thus far has been remarkable. Destined for greatness. Remember where you read that.

MYVANWY EVANS

There’s not enough space to tell you why this very special, award-winning young lady was on the Lifestyle cover and why she is on this list but we will tell her story this year, BE SURE OF THAT. The founder of Louder Than Words, the UK’s only Black female-led non-profit cultural communications agency, she’s spent the past decade working to make culture more inclusive, ethical and representative. Founded in the aftermath of the 2011 uprisings, the agency has now

(photo: PRECIOUS Awards)

social media bio, no? And Lifestyle says she does it very well. One of the most consistently strong online presences in 2025 saw her following skyrocket and with the world in the current state it’s in, that trend doesn’t look set to change any time soon.

JERIAH KABUSI

This is the type of young energy that makes old energy feel even older. A young journo/presenter in the making, his confidence and delivery sets him apart from the rest of the chasing pack and if you take a look at who is following him on social media, it’s obvious the secret is already out. Watch this space.

VIOLA THE HUSKY

engaged more than five million young people through creative, environmental and educational programmes. Strong year ahead.

enterprise. His content is always thought provoking and on point. Check him out, definitely one to watch.

IMZ_NATION

TEDDY WILSON

The brand of humour posted on the Imz_Nation social media channels has Lifestyle chuckling on many occasions.

It’s high-energy ‘man on the street’ stuff.

Beyond social media entertainment, Imz does music with several tracks available on streaming platforms. This year will see the TikTok platform surpass a million followers for sure.

YISRAEL J ARTHUR

How can you not love this guy? It’s so easy to go viral with stuff that doesn’t really matter, content of little substance, but facts and intellect seem to have a harder time cutting through. The entrepreneur, activist, and legal professional is the founder of NOVO, a social

AKINOLA DAVIES JR

In truth, the depth of Akinola’s talents are well known. But Lifestyle believes this year the British-Nigerian filmmaker, writer, and visual artist will become a household name. If you haven’t been made aware of his awardwinning directorial debut feature, My Father’s Shadow, a semi-autobiographical tale set over the course of a single day in Lagos during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis, consider this as notice served.

He moves quickly, literally, so keep an eye on this talented British sprinter. He set the European U18 100m record and won a silver medal in the 4x100m relay at the 2024 World U20 Championships.

Success follows him and that’s a trait you keep an eye on. Last year he was voted as the Male Breakthrough Athlete of The Year at the inaugural Track and Field Inclusion Awards. 2026 is a big one for him.

CHARMAINE POSTS

Cultural commentator teaching business strategy through popular culture. Sparking conversations you didn’t know you craved.

She definitely does what she says in her

The owner of this Siberian Husky could never have predicted how loved his dog would be and when we say loved, nearly four million people coo over her via social media. Yep, you read that right.

Adored for her mild and loving temperament, Viola is stopped on the streets like royalty.

It’s not going to slow down this year either.

In short the dog is a socialite. We know, it’s barking mad. But we love to see it.

MAC AND MATTEO

Mac and his black cat, Matteo roll through London like it’s normal. They go ’smile hunting,’ regularly, where Matteo sits calmly on Mac’s shoulders while they walk and ride through the city.

Lifestyle doesn’t know how this phenomena started but it’s fascinating. Looking forward to seeing their journey this year.

L.A CARTIER

There are a few people on social media with a catchphrase, slogan, call it what you like, but I love this ladies, ‘Everybody’s Lost It’, because, sometimes, when you’re online for a little too long, it feels like that. Funny, articulate, a school teacher, musician and content creator, she’s the embodiment of contemporary versatility.

Got a good feeling about her year ahead.

NATALIE VANESSA

This young lady seems to have found her calling. A self described ‘lover girl navigating

JANUARY 2025 THE VOICE | 33

26 to watch in 2026 single parenthood’, Natalie got her heart broken and became a hot girl! She’s helping women bounce back after divorce and heartbreak and is the founding host of Heartbreak To Hot Girl podcast. She’s trodding a mission with meaning and garnering strong support along the way.

STEPHAN SARPONG

It’s defo Steph not Steve, either way you just gotta love this man’s content, street interview sheller, for real.

If you’re having a down day. Check out his Catford video, it’s brilliant.

Now, it’s not always kid-friendly but that’s how it goes when you’re doing impromptu on a regular basis.

CAROLINE DUBOIS

The British professional boxer has held the WBC female lightweight title since December 2024 and previously was the IBO champion in the same weight division.

The younger sister of Daniel Dubois, she’s no longer on the fringes of greatness. Having signed with MVP at the back end of last year and featuring on the Jake Paul Vs Anthony Joshua bill, with greater opportunities the world is going to recognise what a talent she is and that will only gather a head of steam this year.

JOURDAN BLAIR

Otherwise known as Jah Digga, Lifestyle told you last year he’s on to a good thing and the momentum will continue. He ended 2025 strong with his Fire In The Booth and if we’re keeping it all the way real, it’s been a hot minute since an artist as refreshingly honest as he is penetrated the algorithm. IYKYK.

SWARZY SHIRE

This host and radio presenter is ACTIVE and powered by GOD! No apologies.

Her career began to ascend following her stint at KISS FM. She’s hosted major events like the London New Year’s Day Parade and red-carpet coverage for the BRIT Awards. When we talk about having different strings to your bow, few can claim to be an official ambassador for the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Currently killing it on BBC1Xtra and BBC Radio One, check out her work with Too Much Source, of which she is the founder.

LIZ SANYA

Having created the world’s largest sandal, the BritishNigerian fashion designer broke records last year.

The founder of the footwear brand SANYA, which is known for its distinctive clogs and experimental aesthetic, her brand gained viral success on TikTok with the Pony Pink Clogs, her first official product created in her bedroom. She also appeared in ITV1 show The ReStore. Don’t sleep on her this year.

LULU ISDORY

Did someone say technology? This young lady is simply AMAZING. A rising leader shaping how businesses approach technology, innovation and inclusion, as a consultant with EY, award-winning Lulu supported programme governance across 45

skills. Please don’t take your eyes off this one. He’s going places, fast.

projects, improving delivery efficiency by 20 per cent and driving alignment across global teams. 2024 was big for her, 2025 even bigger, now she’s a manager at Deloitte, what do you think will happen this year? She’s long been one to watch, the trend will continue.

JOSEPH HAGAN

GABRIELLA LAFOR

An award-winning and twice BAFTAnominated freelance television producer, production manager and creative media consultant, no matter who Lifestyle spoke to, her name was celebrated. Driven, exceptionally talented, for the cause and always pushing for the marginalised to be granted better opportunities and access to the industry, she deserves her place on this list and it’s not before time. Let’s see what she cooks in 2026.

NICK BEDU

Word on the street is that Nick is about to level up. As usual, remember where you heard it first.

Co-founder and Head of Production at Fully Focused Productions | Million

Youth Media, it’s hard to quantify their impact in the community in real terms, it’s that extensive. One of the leading short film hubs in Europe, amassing over 87 million views and supporting hundreds of young, underrepresented filmmakers, they finished 2025 strong by landing the Indielab innovation Award for YouTube Channel of the year.

SELORM ADONU

OK, listen up. You see this young man right here (above), he’s a STAR! We’re telling you before the mainstream does (as usual). A director, scriptwriter, spoken word artist, producer, movement director/coach, his talents know no bounds and we haven’t even got into his fine art, filmmaking or painting

Managing highprofile influencers and celebrities and with over a decade of experience, Hagan continues to position Streamline PR as a “go-to” agency for talent looking to pivot their careers or maximise their reach.

Adopting a hands-on approach, Hagan and his team are often present at events and red carpets to ensure no opportunities are missed and that the clients feel supported.

Success personified.

KATIE DEBRAH

No beating around the bush and just in case you didn’t know, Katie is an award-winning creative advertising expert. Her influence goes deep and as an AI strategist, entrepreneur and a member of the BIMA AI Council she has co-authored the UK’s first AI standards for the creative industries.

‘They’ know all about her already, but did you? Clearly one to watch.

34 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

Lifestyle

Business

OUT OF MUSHROOMS GROWS AN IDEA TO FAN THE FLAMES Jamaican doctor fulfills her dream of creating a product to prevent wildfires. By Joel Campbell

M

“

USHROOMS and farming are a real love, but in truth I opened and scaled Deer Manor so I could quietly self-fund a much bigger, more seismic project,’ says Dr Alisha Fuller-Armah as she excitedly explains where life has taken her ever since Lifestyle covered her remarkable story in 2023.

For context, Fuller-Armah sold her former business as a proprietor of a destination wedding venue in Jamaica (Hummingbird Hall), just before the lockdown in 2019 and moved to the UK. Sounds a bit off the wall, but the mother of one was on a mission to cultivate organic mushrooms having taught herself how to grow them using the internet and within just two years, she procured a 15-acre estate in south-west Scotland.

The mushrooms were a hit, so much so that her company, Deer Manor, quickly became one of Scotland’s leading gourmet mushroom farms, supplying some of the UK’s finest restaurants, private chefs, nutritionists and farm shops.

Little did we know at the time, but that part of Fuller-Armah’s journey was yet another means to an end.

But what was the end? An allnatural wildfire retardant.

She explains: “I’ve lived in some really beautiful countries, Jamaica, scenic Scotland, and a lot of these countries are wildfirethreatened. Wildfire currently tears through about six per cent DOWN ON THE FARM: Dr Alisha Fuller-Armah gets her hands dirty

of the earth, about 770 million hectares every year.

“When you live in a really pretty place, you have this fear that not only a wildfire will come, but these chemical retardants will come too. These are the things that suppress the flame, and they’re quite effective some of the time, but they have such a legacy of harm, they can toxify watercourses, they can kill animals.

“And I’d always known that mycelium, which is the root structure of mushrooms, has a naturally flame-retardant characteristic. When I was reading about all this process, I was feeling uncomfortable about what people pump in the land, I’m thinking why aren’t people using something natural to try and quell these flames? Because it’s something that a lot of the world experiences.

“And so, I had this interest in wildfire for a long, long time, but I am also trying to grow a mushroom farm. So I was using the mushroom farm to try and quietly fund this idea that I had about trying to use things that were totally natural to quell wildfire.”

TOXIC Most city dwellers won’t really relate to the idea that when wildfire hits, the solutions to control it are mostly made of Perand polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), petrochemicals, plasticbased foams and very waterhungry products that leave toxic residues in soil, food webs and water. Fuller-Armah’s multi-

FUNGI FAVOURITES: Dr Alisha Fuller-Armah became a successful mushroom grower

year obsession became trying to invent something better.

Leaning into everything she’d learned from mushrooms and mycelium, as well as other naturally flame-resistant materials, she spent years tinkering away alone in sheds with no institutional support – just mushrooms, a very patient family, private tuition and exam marking to self-fund her endeavours.

After around 30 iterations, she finally landed on a biomaterial that genuinely outperforms most incumbents, is 95 per cent biobased and fully compostable, made from waste streams from agriculture, dairy and aquaculture, and is long-lasting (it holds for months rather than days).

She added: “It’s multifunctional – it can be used as an asset wrap, a preventative retardant and as a suppressant on active fire – and it does all of that with no PFAS, no petrochemicals and no plastics. It can also be used as a fire-blocking construction wrap.”

Indicative of Fuller-Armah’s ability to follow her gut her breakthrough, which she has called BlazeBalm, is a world away from the Art History and Social Anthropology BA she studied for at Cambridge University.

She does have a PhD in Business Management though.

And moving forward she’s going to need it as funding the next phase of the journey will be no mean feat.

She enthused: “All of this was happening while I still couldn’t talk about it publicly because we weren’t patent protected.

“I wasn’t really going for any grants or any funding. It was an absolute passion project, so whenever I had a big mushroom contract, I would use that to funnel into the research and development for this. It was very quiet.

“The only people who knew about it were my eight-yearold and my mum. I set up a fire testing lab in our garden, and I would have my blow torch… I had a mini fire testing suite that no one knew about and for a long time, the mushrooms would grow, as in the business, and I’d use that to iterate and try and find a formulation that I felt could be applied to, maybe, vegetation at the time, stop fire, but would also be using products that were totally natural.

“That went on for about three years of me tinkering away.”

Fuller-Armah said, holed up in her makeshift lab, she would literally be comparing her iterations to the market leading products that have been in existence for over 50 years unchallenged and then she

experienced her ‘eureka moment’.

With the cat out of the bag the serial innovator has her eye on scaling quickly, but not before she tried the product on her own land.

She enthused: “We have about 15 acres. I tried it on about a quarter of an acre. Again, very quietly, all grown by hand, grown in sheds, not in the petrochemical base.

“And when I tried it, I think it was, in April or May, it worked, so I thought, okay, this is something.

“So then I reached out to the South of Scotland enterprise, which is a fundraising body. And I think they may have thought I was a bit strange, because this industry has been under lock and key since the 60s.”

GAMECHANGER Strange or not, Fuller -Armah has stumbled upon a gamechanger, so much so, funding has come rolling in and the future prospects look beyond her wildest dreams.

“This year (2025), the quiet work finally translated into traction: BlazeBalm received generous six-figure, non-dilutive funding from both Innovate UK and Scottish Enterprise, plus fivefigure funding from a competitive climate-innovation accelerator.

“Thanks to that, we’re now patent-pending in the UK

and applying for patents internationally.”

Far from being driven by the monetary rewards that will inevitably come when the product is issued across the world, Fuller-Armah added: “A lot of people probably go into this thinking dollar signs.

“For me, absolutely not.

Everyone wants to live, but I think there’s a greater, almost like a stewardship belief, you know?

“In Jamaica, my great-greatgrandmother is a maroon, you know, the people fought slavery.

We’ve got land in Jamaica, and I think my grandmother, who is 90, has always instilled in me the importance of caring for the environment.

“This is before sustainability became a thing. Jamaicans are just really proud of their land and the way it should be passed down from generations. So for me, this whole trying to find a product that would perform or outperform the incumbents, I didn’t really think of it in terms of the economics of it.

It was more, hopefully, if this hits Scotland, my eight-year-old will not have to deal with the outcome of toxic retardant.”

If you were au fait with FullerArmah’s mushroom journey and thought that was special, wait until you watch the full video of this interview, available on our website now.

JANUARY 2026 THE VOICE | 35

Lifestyle

Films

New movie Heavyweight will take you on an emotional journey inside and outside of the ring. By Joel Campbell

DELIVERING A KNOCKOUT BLOW: The film Heavyweight takes a look at the mental state of a fighter preparing to get into the ring

PACKING A BIG PUNCH

H

EAVYWEIGHT, the first feature directed

by Nigerian-Lebanese filmmaker Christopher M. Anthony, has been acquired for UK theatrical distribution by BUFF Studios.

The distribution arm of the BAFTA-accredited British Urban Film Festival secured the rights following its success at the BUFF Awards and will release the film in cinemas nationwide later this month.

The film focuses on the mental state of a heavyweight fighter and his cornermen backstage as fight time approaches.

With the clock ticking, a series of obstacles – both internal and external – cause him to lose faith in himself. As his team works hard to show the fighter that he deserves to be there, Derek realises that he must cut ties to the heavyweight holding him

back and that he alone must fight his greatest opponent – himself.

Shot in London, the film stars Nicholas Pinnock and Jordan Bolger.

Additional cast includes Jason Isaacs, Sienna Guillory, Osy Ikhile, Rob Malone, Barry Aird, Joplin Sibtain, Jamie Bamber, Nabil Elouahabi and Blake Harrison.

Heav yweight marks the fourth release from BUFF Studios and its third in the last six months, following Ireke: Rise of the Maroons (July) and Magazine Dreams (December).

The nationwide release of Heavyweight follows the launch of BUFF’s producer-led P&A model, unveiled at the American Film Market in November and

designed to give filmmakers a more transparent, flexible path to theatrical release.

“As the film industry continues to evolve, BUFF Studios remains focused on supporting distinctive, independent voices

through its producer-led P&A model,” said Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, Head of Global Theatrical Distribution at BUFF Studios.

He added: “Our approach ensures that films like Heavyweight receive tailored theatrical support, connecting impactful stories with audiences

and exhibitors in a way that reflects today’s changing distribution landscape.”

Kevin Harvey, co-founder and producer at Blackwater Pictures, said: “Heavyweight has been a labour of love – a tense and emotional journey, taking the viewer behind the scenes to witness the drama in elite

sports, with performances parexcellence brought to life with dynamic camerawork, bringing the audience into the chaotic fray.

“We are very excited by the partnership with BUFF who we know will be able to reach the core audience the film deserves.”

PICTURE EAST

#peff26

PEFF is back for 2026! ***Happy New Year*** Start the new year right by getting your tickets for PEFF26 This dynamic programme of world cinema, exclusive previews and special guest panels will continue our legacy of free Curated Community Cinema in Newham and now Barking & Dagenham. www.tnbfc.co.uk

Find out more about PictureEast Film Festival 2026 (PEFF26) on our website: https://www.tnbfc.co.uk/peff26

The New Black Film Collective is a nationwide network of producers, educators and programmers of Black representation on screen.

FILM

FESTIVAL

36 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

Lifestyle

Business

THE DJ WHO DOES IT ALL DJing, events, stage production — you name it, Dean Carby and his agency does it. And he hasn’t reached his peak yet... By Joel Campbell

D

EAN CARBY is the DJ that can do it all and when we say all, we mean it.

The owner of Carby & Co, a full-service event production agency, his story is one of self determination meets opportunity.

If ever you’ve sat at an awards ceremony or attended a high level networking event or watched shows like Britain’s Got Talent and wondered who was responsible for putting things together, like the staging, the lighting, the backdrop or the lectern, Carby’s your guy.

But his foray into the world of event production started with him standing behind the ones and twos, spinning the tunes and entertaining the crowd.

One day however, he had a lightbulb moment and everything changed.

Recalling his journey from the beginning, Carby enthused: “I never really thought of myself as a DJ, but there was a DJ that was in my school with me. We used to go to his house after school. He taught me how to DJ and I started to get good.

“Fast forward, I moved areas and met a guy who was a chef.

He worked in all of the top restaurants in central London.

And he’s got his own place called Papa L’s Kitchen in Jermyn St. “But before he got into being a chef, he was a host and a mic man, not a proper DJ, but a selector on pirate radio station. He was a few years older than me but I started joining him on the radio. Started doing a weekly radio show. At the same time I was practicing my actual mixing. Then I started getting into house parties.

“This was around the same

IN HIS ELEMENT: Carby at different events

I was hanging around with Nigerians and Ghanaians and they’re always trying to start businesses time I was in college and then university. I started doing student events and started doing city events. And then basically DJing was like a big part of my life. That was my identity.

“In university two things happened. There was a big push for entrepreneurship at the time.

I was hanging around with a lot of Nigerians and Ghanaians and they’re always trying to start businesses, looking at business opportunities and that started to rub off for me.

“And I started to think, ‘Actually I can make what I’m doing into a business’.

“Not so much on the DJing side, but on the equipment side.

I started to invest in a couple of decks, speakers and microphones and realised, ‘Hold on, I can have some equipment here and there, and have equipment and DJ there.’

So, I can make decent money in one place and I can make some money from other places, too, without even physically being there.”

Studying biomedical science at university without a clue what he was going to do with the qualification once he’d secured it provided the perfect chasm for

Carby to fill with his new found pastime, which was also earning him a pretty penny.

It’s a genesis story which led him to becoming one of the most sought after event production companies emanating out of the UK Black community.

At Carby & Co their expertise covers the full spectrum of event styling, design, and production.

This includes staging and dance floors, lighting, screens, AV and technical support, visuals, custom décor, furniture, branding and of course DJs. 2026 represents six years since he officially took the plunge and went all in on the business seriously, but it’s been a bumpy road since finishing university in 2009.

He admits to experiencing a period where he mixed up being busy with being profitable. He had to learn the ropes, understand costs, pricing, insurance.

A young Black man in a business with few peers for him to lean on, there were dark days where he wondered if he was doing the right thing.

Refinement did come, however.

He explains: “I am more focused on the corporate side of events than just trying to do everything, like raves, clubs, weddings and parties. “Obviously we’ll still do it but it’s not exactly what we’re trying to promote.”

CONNECTED He added: “We like still being connected to the culture and being corporate. One of our clients at the moment is City Hall, the Mayor of London. And we’re doing a lot of their more cultural or Black events, which is great because we understand it from the cultural or Black perspective and then also we can deliver it

NOT A ONETRICK PONY: Dean Carby has proved he has what it takes in all areas of entertainment

from a technical and corporate perspective.

“We recently did the Black History Month event at City Hall.

Two months before that, we did the UNESCO remembrance of the slave trade event, and we live streamed that.

“A couple months before that, they were trying to get us in on Black On The Square event, but that’s a bit more of a different animal because it’s a big outdoor setup on Trafalgar Square, which we’re not necessarily set up for now, but we’re getting there.”

As a growing business, balancing resources, tight timelines, and client expectations has been an ongoing challenge, especially when delivering multiple largescale events simultaneously.

However, he’s proud of the work accomplished to date and expects to garner consistent contracts that will allow his organisation to scale even further.

A father of one, he hopes to pass the business onto his son one day but for now he is enjoying the fruits of his labour and being able to offer pearls of wisdom to other people in the community that are up and coming in the world of event production.

He says the fact that even more

I’ve got this grit and determination in me that unless it gets dire, I’m not going to give up established companies that provide a similar service to him that have been running for much longer can employ upwards of 50 people, only serves to whet his appetite for growth.

Having survived the first five years of business and scaled to a level where he is trusted by mainstream organisations, strengthens his belief that he ultimately made the right choice to stay in the game.

“Over the years, we’ve worked with so many big names. We’ve worked with EY, they do a Black network event every October.

We’ve done that for the last 10 years in some of the biggest, most

prestigious venues in London.

We’ve worked with HSBC. We’ve worked with JN Money. We did a live stream for the bank during the pandemic. There was a small event happening in JN in Brixton and we live streamed that so people could watch online. We worked with EA Sports to launch the FIFA 2024 game, which was another huge production.”

He added: “It’s not been simple. But I’ve got this grit and determination in me that unless it gets dire, like really bad, I’m not going to give up. I love what I do.

“When it’s going well and I’m having a good day or a good week, I love it. I love the satisfaction of going to my warehouse and seeing everything on the shelves, everything organised and I can pick something easy and I’ve got a team that knows what they’re.

“I love the ability that whether I’m there or not, we’re able to deliver. We can go in and we flipping get the job done. There’s no messing around. Me and my team, when you see us, it’s like a military operation most of the time anyway. But we get the job done.” l Watch the full interview with Carby on our website now

JANUARY 2026 THE VOICE | 37

TOP SPORTS COVERAGE 24/7 VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK/SPORT

OF SPORT NEWSPAPER

JANUARY 2026 | THE VOICE

HARRIS' FEATS MARKED

England's most-capped blind footballer hails 'special' moment as his legacy is sealed in Hall of Fame. By Rodney Hinds

I

T WAS a great end to 2025 for Darren Harris with the National Football Museum announcing that England’s most capped and decorated blind footballer was to be inducted into its Hall of Fame.

The ceremony was held last month at the museum in Manchester during the 2025 Para Sport Awards.

Harris was born in Wolverhampton and was diagnosed with a type of cancer in both eyes known as bilateral retinoblastoma aged 15 months, which led to a gradual loss of eyesight.

He attended New College Worcester, a unique secondary school for individuals who have visual impairments.

Sports became an important outlet for Harris while at the college, giving him focus and direction. He studied mathematics at university and then worked in the information technology sector.

However, he eventually turned to the sport which he had found all those years before: football.

He made his debut for the England blind football team in 1996, became captain in 2002, and helped the team secure a place at the Athens Paralympic Games in 2004.

However, they were barred from taking part, as the other Home Nations besides England, wouldn’t sanction a Great Britain team to play.

Already owning a black belt in judo, Harris quit his job, switched sports and began training full-time in judo. He competed at the Beijing Paralympics in 2008.

Troubled by injury leading up to the World Championships in 2010 and World Games in 2011, he finished judo and returned to football to play at the London Paralympic Games in 2012, becoming a Dual-Paralympian.

Across his international football career which spanned over two decades, Harris is England's most capped blind player, making 157 appearances, scoring 34 goals, and winning 10 World and European medals between 1997 and 2019.

Harris was also awarded an Albion Foundation Star for his Outstanding Contribution to West Bromwich Albion teams. He was recognised as one of the world's best strikers in blind football, winning the League and Cup trophies three times each and the Golden Boot five times. Since retiring from competitive international football, Harris

TRAILBLAZER: Darren Harris amassed 157 caps for England scoring 34 goals across his 20-year career

has continued to shape sport and society.

He has become a respected motivational speaker, performance consultant and inclusion advocate, working with schools, businesses and governing bodies to champion accessibility and mindset development.

Harris also serves as a mentor to young

para-athletes, sharing his experiences to help the next generation navigate the challenges of elite sport. His commitment to driving positive change, both inside and outside football, has solidified his status as one of the most influential figures in British disability sport.

Upon finding out the news, Harris said:

“To be inducted into the Hall of Fame is truly special. It may be my name on the award, but football is a team game, and every cap and medal was won with the help of my teammates, coaches, and staff.

“I hope this recognition shines a light on the wider blind football community, and on the future of our sport.”

Rukare becomes first African president of Commonwealth Sport

By Rodney Hinds

UGANDAN Dr Donald Rukare, an experienced sports leader and human rights lawyer, has been elected president of Commonwealth Sport (CS) at its general assembly in Glasgow.

The first president from the Africa region, Dr Rukare assumes the role at a pivotal time for the movement, with excitement building ahead of an actionpacked Glasgow 2026 and Ahmedabad, India, confirmed as the host of the landmark Centenary Games in 2030.

Dr Rukare brings over three decades of experience across sport, law, diplomacy, and development. He has served as a World Aquatics Bureau member and vice-president of Africa Aquatics, as well as vice-president of CS, president of Commonwealth Games Uganda, and, most recently, interim president of CS. His

election reflects the confidence of the 74-member nations and territories in his vision for a united, athlete-centred, and strategically progressive CS Movement.

Commonwealth Sport is the organisation with responsibility for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games, and for delivering the vision of the Commonwealth Sport Movement: 'Our Commonwealth, united through sport'.

Their mission is to deliver inspirational and impactful Games; to excite and empower athletes and young people; and to drive equality in sport and society across the Commonwealth.

Established in 1930, the Commonwealth Sport Movement brings together 74 independent nations and territories creating a diverse Commonwealth community of over 2.5 billion individuals, representing one-third of the world's population.

LEADER: Dr Donald Rukare has pledged to empower athletes and young people as he looks to build on the momentum of Glasgow 2026

In his manifesto, Dr Rukare pledged to place athletes at the heart of Commonwealth Sport and to advance the ‘Games Reset’, designed to enable a wide range of diverse nations to host the Games sustainably.

His priorities include strengthening support for member CGAs, expanding flagship programmes like GAPS, which promotes inclusive sport pathways and eqUIP, which nurtures youth leaders across the Commonwealth. He also

emphasised the importance of fostering strategic partnerships and engaging new fans around the globe.

Dr Rukare said: "I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me by our Commonwealth Sport family. I thank the membership for their support and pledge to serve with integrity, passion and transparency. Together, we will build on the momentum of Glasgow 2026, showcase the next generation of stars at the Malta 2027 Commonwealth

Youth Games and prepare for an inspiring centenary Games in India in 2030. Our athletes deserve every opportunity to shine, and I am committed to ensuring that Commonwealth Sport remains athlete-centred and a force for unity, excellence, and impact across all our regions."

Katie Sadleir, CEO of Commonwealth Sport, added: "On behalf of CS, I warmly congratulate Donald on his election. His bold and collaborative leadership comes at a crucial time, as we embrace transformation and prepare for milestone Games in Glasgow and Amdavad.

"Donald’s commitment to sustainable development and the values that unite our diverse family align perfectly with the vision laid out in our ‘Commonwealth United’ Strategic Plan. We look forward to continuing to work together to evolve the Movement, support athletes, and thrill fans.”

38 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

Sport

GEARING UP FOR WORK

FUTURE LEADERS: Students have thrived on the Aleto course in partnership with the F1 Aston Martin team (photos: Aston Martin F1 Team)

D

ID YOU know there is an organisation working directly with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One team to help bright young people from underrepresented backgrounds gain access to the many roles that make motorsport possible?

Not just engineering, but finance, law, technology, marketing, operations and more. That organisation is the Aleto Foundation, and through leadership programmes, mentorship and industry partnerships, it is opening doors in motorsport and beyond.

When Voice of Sport spoke with David Villa-Clarke, the foundation’s chief executive officer, he made it clear that Aleto’s work is focused on levelling the playing field and giving young people the confidence and competence to thrive.

“It’s an organisation that’s set up to help extremely bright young people from tough reality backgrounds into the world of work or entrepreneurship,” explained Villa-Clarke.

“We teach them the skills they need: public speaking, teamwork, marketing, personal branding, and we focus on two key things: competence and confidence.

They work hand in hand. You can go into a workplace and be as confident as you like, but if you don’t know what you’re talking about, you’re going to be found out. But if you’re competent but not confident, you’re not going to accelerate. People might think that you don’t know stuff because you’re not prepared to speak up.”

Competence and confidence sit

Aleto’s Aston Martin partnership helps ensure young talent never goes unseen. By Damian Hall at the core of Aleto’s work, guiding how it helps young people move from potential to opportunity.

Created by British professionals who understood firsthand the obstacles faced by young people from challenging backgrounds, Aleto was established to address the barriers that hinder them.

Guided by its motto, “sharing success with tomorrow’s leaders,” the foundation provides programmes trusted by employers to uncover exceptional talent often overlooked by traditional pathways, supporting future leaders across the UK regardless of their heritage or background.

Aleto’s flagship leadership programme, which Villa-Clarke calls a “mini MBA”, pushes its participants to their limits.

“If you come on our annual leadership programme, if you’re

“At Aston Martin, we believe that diversity of thought and background is essential to building a championshipwinning team”

not prepared to cry or die, don’t come,” he said with a laugh.

“We give you a question you’d normally give to a first-year hire in a consulting firm and expect you to solve it.”

It is intense but effective, and the results speak for themselves.

Many of Aleto’s alumni have gone on to top-tier positions, while others have built successful companies of their own.

INITIATIVES One standout story involves two young men who met on an Aleto Foundation programme, Timothy Armoo and Ambrose Cooke. Inspired by the advice often shared by the foundation’s chairman, Sir Kenneth Olisa, to “look at the person in front, behind and beside you, and say hello, because you never know, they might be your future business partner or boss,” they went on to form a digital marketing company that achieved massive success and was later acquired. That company was Fanbytes.

Building on the success of its flagship initiatives, Aleto has launched the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One x Aleto Leadership Programme, a ninemonth development experience designed to bridge the gap between young talent and industry opportunity.

The programme combines mentorship, professional

VISIONARY: David VillaClarke has been keen to provide opportunities to young talent that was lacking when he was growing up

development and real-world experience within Aston Martin Aramco’s operations, offering participants an inside look at how a motorsport team functions.

Debbie Wall, ESG director at Aston Martin, said the collaboration has been mutually transformative. “At Aston Martin, we believe that diversity of thought and background is essential to building a championship-winning team. Our partnership with the Aleto Foundation, now in its third year, is a testament to that belief.

“Over 50 young leaders have completed the Aleto leadership course, gaining invaluable insight into what it takes to succeed in the high-performance world of Formula One,” she explained.

“In turn, we’ve had the privilege of learning from these future leaders. It’s a partnership where everyone wins, and we’re proud to play a role in shaping the next generation of talent. We look forward to continuing this journey with Aleto for many years.”

Open to university students from underrepresented backgrounds, the initiative focuses on equipping participants with the skills, exposure and

networks needed to thrive in industries such as engineering, law, finance, technology and media. It also complements Aleto’s broader mission to reach younger audiences through future programmes for sixth formers.

“With Aston Martin Aramco, we’ll continue our main leadership programme but also create one for 16-year-olds,” Villa-Clarke added. “It’s about getting young people into engineering straight off the bat, showing them that motorsport isn’t just for drivers. There are opportunities in engineering, HR, law, and tech.”

He added that when he first visited the Aston Martin Aramco facility, there were only a handful of Black staff members, despite the team’s rapid expansion.

It takes a team with diverse thoughts to create competitive advantage and Aston Martin Aramco are looking for that talent.

That is what makes partnerships like this one so important.

Beyond motorsport, VillaClarke’s message to organisations is that talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not.

For Villa-Clarke, this mission is

deeply personal. He grew up on a council estate in East London and faced his own share of challenges along the way. He did his A-levels but never went on to university.

The loss of his sister had a profound effect on his family, and as he explained, his mother was not in the right frame of mind to focus on education. At school, no one ever mentioned university.

Determined to build a better life, he entered financial services with no formal training, learning through experience and hard work. His persistence stood out, and before long, mentors in the industry began to recognize his potential.

CHANGE One mentor in particular believed in him enough to sponsor his MBA, an act that changed the trajectory of his life.

That experience planted the seed for the work he now leads through Aleto, helping provide others with the opportunity he once needed.

Today, more than 1,500 alumni have completed Aleto programmes, forming a network that continues to mentor each other long after the courses end. It is representation, combined with access, creating lasting change. Its work serves as a bridge to access, which is necessary for progress.

For Villa-Clarke, the key to resilience lies in community. “If you are part of Aleto, you are part of a family of 1,500 people who can help,” he said.

That sense of connection is what drives Aleto’s influence. It is not just preparing young people for the workplace but preparing the workplace to welcome them.

JANUARY 2026 THE VOICE | 39

Sport

AI SHIELDING ATHLETES

U

K SPORT has launched a groundbreaking initiative to safeguard Olympic and Paralympic athletes from social media abuse like never before.

Funded sports can now take control of their online spaces with Social Protect – an awardwinning, AI-powered app that proactively detects and removes abusive comments in real time.

Unprecedented in British sport, this initiative provides a continuous safeguard, enabling athletes to stay active in the conversation without compromising their wellbeing.

A significant six-figure investment across the LA 2028 cycle, this followed a competitive tender and rigorous review process.

This is a crucial addition to UK Sport’s world-leading support package for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, ensuring athletes have the right support to perform at their very best.

This always-on service will complement existing protection that is offered to athletes by Team GB and ParalympicsGB during

PROTECTION: Social Protect removes harmful comments in real time giving athletes a protective bubble to online hate allowing them to perform at their highest level

UK Sport unveils social media app to combat online abuse suffered by sporting stars. By Rodney Hinds Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Social Protect can also be used

by UK Sport-funded major events hosted on UK soil, protecting official event channels .

Social Protect’s technology works across platforms to eliminate harmful content before it can cause damage, helping to create safer spaces for athletes.

CONTROL The platform works seamlessly with Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Discord and YouTube, deleting comments in under a second using a dynamic, personally customisable database of over two million harmful phrases in more than 100 languages.

Three-time Team GB Badminton Olympian Kirsty Gilmour said: “In the last six years, I have noticed a real increase in the abuse I’ve been receiving on social me-

dia. Reading abusive comments at the wrong time can cause a lot of damage. I have come straight off the court, debriefed with my coach, reached for my phone and received a death threat. The comments that hurt me most are the ones that target me and my career personally.

“Social Protect feels like a real step up in terms of the level of control I can take over my experiences online. Getting set up on the app is so easy and comments disappear in real time – I can choose whether to see them or not. It feels empowering and like a real force field over my little corner of the internet.

“I’m really impressed with how UK Sport have become the trailblazers for putting this safety net in place for athletes.”

Dr Kate Baker, director of Performance at UK Sport,

added: “The level of abuse our athletes are facing online is unacceptable – to do nothing about this is not an option.

“Our partnership with Social Protect shields athletes from abuse to an extent never before seen in British sport and we are fiercely proud to be pioneering in this space. Social Protect are world leaders in creating safe

digital spaces and their cuttingedge technology ensures that our athletes are protected – not just at Games time, but all the time.

“This is a significant investment for UK Sport and sits right at the heart of our commitment to ensure athletes have the right support to be the best versions of themselves on and off the field of play.”

Shake Britten, CEO of Social Protect, said: “Abuse is abuse, whether it happens on the field or in a comment section. We built Social Protect to give people control over their own digital boundaries and to stop harmful content before it ever reaches them.”

“We are delighted to be partnering with UK Sport and protecting the nation’s top athletes.

UK Sport is truly leading the way.

They studied the problem and came to us for a real solution: to protect their athletes. We’re protecting their athletes around the clock, taking social media abuse off their plates and placing a protective bubble around them and their families so they can stay focused on what they do best – performing at the highest level.”

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40 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2026

Sport

RETURNING HEROES: Piloted by Shanwayne Stephens, with Rolando Reid, Ashley Watson, Matthew Wekpe as the push athletes, Jamaica’s bobsled team competed at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022

GOLD MEDAL SLEDDERS EYE WINTER OLYMPICS

J

AMAICA’S bobsleigh team is focused on qualifying for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Nearly four decades after Jamaica’s trailblazing 1988 Olympic bobsleigh debut inspired the beloved film Cool Runnings, the island’s new generation of sledders has delivered on that legacy – winning Jamaica’s firstever international bobsleigh gold.

The four-man team of Shane Pitter, Junior Harris, Andrae Dacres and Tyquendo Tracey stormed to victory at the end of year International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) North American Cup (NAC) in Whistler, Canada, producing a historic run of 1:45.88 to top the podium.

Triumphant Jamaican team buoyed by their historic success in Canada are now setting their sights on qualifying for the 2026 Games. By Sam French

Their 4.91 second start, piloted

by Pitter, powered Jamaica into the history books, with the team crossing the finish line ahead of two Canadian squads competing on home ice.

“Is this possible?” Pitter recalled thinking in disbelief as he realised Jamaica had clinched gold.

He describes the moment and how he was “standing there speechless”.

Harris said the win felt “unbelievable”, adding: “Our families are proud and the whole island of Jamaica is proud.”

Jamaica’s bobsleigh programme has long been an emblem of determination, resilience and national pride. The 1988 team may not have medalled, but they captivated the world and became cultural icons.

The journey back to the

podium has been long. Jamaica made a celebrated return to Olympic competition at Beijing 2022, qualifying a four-man sled for the first time in 24 years and securing spots in three bobsleigh events. That resurgence laid the groundwork for the breakthrough in Whistler.

Caribbean National Weekly described the success. It said: “Jamaica has once again showcased the power of determination, discipline, and raw athletic talent on the global stage.”

Jamaica’s women’s team won gold at the World Push Championships in 2000, excelling in the power-focused pushstart discipline, but this is a first bobsleigh gold in this format.

It comes as the island is still recovering from Hurricane Melissa, the first Category 5 storm to hit the country in recorded history, leaving widespread devastation and thousands displaced.

Pitter said that made the team’s win “especially poignant”.

“We hope this gives the people back home something to cheer for,” he added.

Brakeman Tracey echoed the message: “Regardless of the sport, regardless of the climate, we can always put our best foot forward.”

In a field featuring countries with far deeper winter-sport infrastructure, Jamaica took a deserved gold medal.

“We’re a tropical island and nobody expects Jamaica to be

winning a gold medal in a winter sport,” Harris said.

“But we always believe in our abilities, our hard work and our dedication.”

With the NAC gold secured, the team is now focused on qualifying for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, determined to convert their historic victory into long-term competitive momentum.

Harris promised: “Trust me, you will see even greater things from us.”